Archaeological contractors

The interpretation of data from any given historic environment project can only be maximised if their retrieval is recorded thoroughly. Knowledge of past activity as represented by the archaeological record can only be understood through the stratigraphic sequence. The physical relationships between archaeological contexts can only be determined after detailed recording and analysis. Single-context recording as developed by the Museum of London Archaeology Service (MoLAS) should be followed.                       

Recording systems

Before fieldwork starts it is essential that provision is made for long term storage of the subsequent archive. It is highly desirable that archaeological material is deposited in a museum which has expertise and resources to adequately provide for long-term storage and survival. If this is not to be the case the planning archaeologist will expect to be assured that other suitable arrangements are being made (see chapter 17).

Lincoln Museum

The main archaeological museum in Lincolnshire is the Lincoln Museum in Lincoln. Dates of deposition of archival material in the museum must be agreed prior to commencement of work, and the deposition date must be included in the specification written by the contractor. The contractor will be provided with a museum accession number where appropriate. For further information on archive deposition contact lincolnmuseum@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

Requirements

• a unique site code must be agreed with the Lincoln Museum, Lincoln and an accession number provided if this is to be the recipient museum
• the site archive should be produced to be compatible with the requirements laid down by Lincoln Museum
• utilising a Harris-Winchester or similar matrix for complex stratigraphical problems
• the production of a suitable photographic record
• the use of terminology and type series coding consistent with those already in use in Lincolnshire, if national codes are being used then these should be cross-referenced to the existing codes used in Lincolnshire (for details of Lincolnshire type series and coding contact Lincoln Museum)
• a digital copy of the report must be deposited with the HER. This should be in the form of a single PDF/A. This will not be counted as an archived dataset and if there is a need to archive digital data in perpetuity then contractors should discuss their requirements with Lincoln Museum and with the Archaeological Data Service (ADS)

On-site artefact handling

All staff, including all sub-contracted specialists, involved with a project must be made aware of First Aid for Finds, Society of Museum Archaeologists guidelines and other related documents (see Resources) and should follow the procedures listed therein. Of particular value to those managing archaeological archives both on-site and in long-term storage are these publications from Historic England. It is imperative that the implications of these documents are noted at the tendering stage of any project because they have both practical and financial implications. Advice on the handling of all archaeological materials can be provided by the staff of Lincoln Museum. In particular the advice of the museum's conservation staff will be of value when handling sensitive materials.

Processing

Bulk finds

All bulk finds will be washed, dried, marked (as appropriate for each material) and packaged according to the standards set out by Lincoln Museum.

Registered finds

All registered finds (small finds) should be processed and packaged according to standards of good practice. All such finds should be submitted for X-radiography and stabilisation where appropriate according to the standards set out by Lincoln Museum.

Samples

All samples must be labelled according to type (for example, industrial, environmental) and the reason for their retention clearly specified. Arrangements should be made for the processing of all samples during the excavation or at the assessment stage and any submitted to the museum must have been prepared for long-term storage. Certain types of samples may be retained in specialist research laboratories.

Basic record

A paper and computer record should be created for all the documentary archive which relates to finds and their analysis. The minimum level of recording for each category is given below.

The following is the minimum amount of information that should be recorded for each context following the terminology and coding system used in The Musuem Collection Thesaurus:

1. site code and accession number;
2. context
3. category
4. count and weight
5. comments, if appropriate

For pottery and building material, the following is the minimum amount of information that should be recorded for each context:

1. site code and accession number
2. context
3. date range
4. fabric code or detailed fabric description
5. diagnostic forms
6. condition of group, where appropriate (for example, smashed, burnt, abraded)
7. obvious cross joins to other contexts
8. sherd count and, or weight in grams
9. suitability for illustration, if appropriate
10. decoration, if appropriate
11. comments, if appropriate

For registered finds, the following is the minimum amount of information that should be recorded for each object following the terminology and coding system used in The Musuem Collection Thesaurus:

1. site code and accession number
2. context
3. registration number
4. material
5. object description
6. the X-radiograph number
7. dimensions or preferably an accurate sketch drawing
8. comments, if appropriate

For samples, the following is the minimum amount of information that should be recorded for each sample:

1. site code and accession number (sample number if appropriate)
2. context
3. sample type
4. weight and volume
5. comments

The finds report

A finds report should accompany all finds deposited with Lincoln Museum. The report should include all the following points:

1. statement about the condition of the material recovered, noting whether site conditions may have been favourable or precluded the preservation of certain materials
2. statement on how the finds were collected and any value or bias that the collection and sampling strategies may have created should be noted
3. statement on any dispersal policy (this must be pre-arranged with the museum) and a list of material to be considered in the five yearly review
4. statement concerning the potential of the finds both to answer site based questions, regional research topics and problems intrinsic to the finds themselves
5. statement outlining key objects or groups
6. quantification of the data broken down into the major stratigraphic units of the site, if appropriate
7. list of all the finds by material, not just ceramics
8. list of all staff and specialists involved in the project
9. list of displayable objects and reasons for selection
10. recommendations for long term curation and storage, highlighting any particularly vulnerable items
11. the conservation report and all associated records, if any active conservation work has been undertaken
12. statement regarding any further work that should be done (academic or curatorial), to include any material that could be considered for dispersal in the five yearly review

The finds archive

At the end of the project the artefact element of the site archive should consist of the following:

1. the finds themselves correctly boxed, packaged and labelled
2. the basic documentary record (including a microform and computerised copy)
3. the X-radiographs
4. a finds report
5. any drawings, photographs (prints and, or slides) and illustrations
6. a statement of the number and sizes of boxes in which the different categories of finds are stored
7. all samples stored in specialist laboratories should be listed along with the full address of the laboratory and a description of the sample type
8. a list of all codes used with a full expansion

Specialists

Specialists working in Lincolnshire

Established specialists new to working in Lincolnshire should demonstrate competency through appropriate qualifications, peer-reviewed publications, curriculum vitae and academic references, these should all be submitted to the appropriate planning curator. Any specification for archaeological work naming such a specialist will not be approved until the above has been verified.

Specialists who are undergoing training with a suitable qualified mentor are able to work in Lincolnshire. Details of their curriculum vita, references, training and mentor details should be submitted to the archaeological curator.

All specialisms are equally important and whilst not all are covered in the same detail in this chapter of the handbook further details may be sought from the respective specialists. It is intended that this section be expanded by the relevant specialists.

Pottery specialists

Pottery codes

To ensure continuity of practice and build upon existing knowledge and expertise it is important that all pottery uses the same ceramic codes names. Working with such a standardised framework enhances our understanding of ceramic production and use within the county as well as facilitating identification of issues of local and national importance All pottery should be coded using the national type series, where existing, and should be accompanied by a concordance table with any local pottery type series (contact Lincoln Museum for details).

Finds that are not covered by any existing type series and coding systems or are only covered by generic codes, should be given fuller descriptions.

Lincolnshire type series

Great advances have been made in the understanding of the ceramic sequences in Lincolnshire over the last thirty years but much of this knowledge remains in ‘grey literature’ although the Roman and Saxon to medieval sequences are published. Ceramic specialists who have not worked extensively within the county are advised to consult the HER for individual site reports for the areas in which they are working.

The pottery found in Lincolnshire is complex, for example there are currently 28 individual medieval pottery (twelfth to fifteenth century) zones identified in Lincolnshire alone, so it is recommended that all specialists, particularly those not regularly working in Lincolnshire should make use of the Finds Type Series in order to accurately identify ware types.

The Finds Type Series for Roman and Post Roman ceramics is held at Lincoln City and County Museum (The Collection) and can be viewed by appointment.

Lincoln Museum
Danes Terrace
Lincoln
LN2 1LP
01522 782 040

A Rural Kesteven Type Series is held by Heritage Lincolnshire and can be viewed by appointment.

The Old School
Cameron Street
Heckington
Lincolnshire
NG34 9RW
01529 461618

An additional Finds Type Series, more specific to North Lincolnshire, is held in North Lincolnshire Museum.

Oswald Road
Scunthorpe
North Lincolnshire
DN15 7BD
01724 843533

The specialists who regularly work in Lincolnshire are also happy to discuss any issue relating to work that may be undertaken by any other specialist, especially those without the same amount of local experience.

National guidance

Every specialist should be aware of their own national guidance. This guidance should be followed when producing work in Lincolnshire. All work should be placed within its local and regional context and should refer to both local and nation research objectives.

Human and faunal remains

Before the exhumation of human remains takes place, a licence from the Ministry of Justice must be obtained. Dependant on the type of burial: graveyard, lone burials, religious affiliation or age of burial different acts of law apply, the Ministry of Justice will advise and ensure that the appropriate license is applied for.

Analysis of human and faunal remains should be undertaken by a trained osteologist or zooarchaeologist respectively.

Registered small finds

In order to ensure that finds are recorded to a common standard, specialist reports on registered small finds should adhere to the agreed term-lists for materials and object-names set out by the SPECTRUM standard. Registered small finds should, where possible, be referenced according to current accepted typologies and, or published catalogues (for example Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC) for Roman coins; Bruce-Mitford (2005) for hanging-bowls), and include a discussion of their local, regional and national significance as considered appropriate.

Conservation work

Commissioning conservation work

When presenting an assemblage for a conservation assessment it is helpful if a specification for the level and type of work required is provided rather than just for example, a request to assess for ‘conservation’. Conservation is a discipline, not a specific task – the level of work required and therefore the tasks needed, will vary dependant on the project requirements.

Conservation work required within the planning and development context is likely to fall into the following areas:

Basic minimum requirement to enable deposition

This will normally involve:

• packaging to provide physical support necessary for long term storage
• packaging to provide necessary environmental control for long term storage
• remedial treatment of actively deteriorating objects
• X-radiography to clarify obscured morphology
• all tasks that are likely to need to be commissioned from a suitably qualified conservator (and in the case of any direct intervention on an object, it will be essential) who will have the necessary expertise to assess an assemblage against these criteria

Completion of these tasks will ensure ‘stabilisation of the assemblage to confer a level of long-term integrity to it’ and ‘investigation of finds to clarify morphology’ as specified by Lincoln Museum. If the level of work required is not clearly specified to the conservator (especially if they are non-local and not familiar with LCC’s guidelines), it may result in either difficulties during handover if essential criteria are not met, or in unnecessary work being carried out.

When this level of work has been completed and the assemblage is returned, at this point the archive is ready for transfer to the museum store, however if there is a delay before hand-over and environmental control is not maintained, deterioration will almost certainly occur which will need to be remedied before the assemblage will be accepted for deposition.

Further investigation

If specialist reports recommend further investigation of finds, ensure the specialist clearly explains the issue that requires investigation and that full details of the query are passed on to the conservator, rather than for example just a list of items selected ‘for conservation’. Further investigation could involve a number of techniques including further investigative x-radiography or other analytical technique or investigative corrosion removal in the specific area of interest, depending on the actual query. If adequate information from the specialist is not provided it may not be possible for the conservator to make an accurate assessment of the work needed.

Aesthetic improvement

Improvement of the appearance for aesthetic reasons (commonly referred to as ‘full cleaning’ or ‘display level conservation’) is normally only required for advocacy purposes, for example, for museum-type displays and is less likely to be a requirement within the planning and development context and much more likely to be something the receiving museum would consider once the finds have been deposited. A project might occasionally involve this level of work prior to deposition for, for example, a public event. The term ‘full-cleaning’ can be misleading even in this context as there can still be options for the level of work undertaken depending on the specific project requirement. A discussion with the conservator will enable them to advise appropriately.

Scheduling

It is worth contacting the conservator as early as possible before conservation work is needed to discuss requirements and scheduling. Some conservation work is time-consuming and, or requires a long treatment period (for example, treatment of waterlogged wood that can take weeks or months of treatment to stabilise it). It may not be possible to fit work in immediately if a conservation practice already has other commitments, particularly if no prior notice is given.