On the Expedition
Did you ever wonder how the artefacts found during excavation made the journey from discovery to display?
The ‘Archaeological Finds’ weekend is an opportunity for volunteers to have close contact with the finds from previous excavations at the fort and the chance to learn about their processing.
Training for specific tasks and expert instruction will be provided in all techniques necessary to carry out the project. Finds are divided into two types: ‘bulk finds’, the large quantities of broken pottery, animal bones and building material, and ‘small finds’, the less stable metalwork and other objects of interest which include coins, bronze box fittings, beads, architectural stonework and fragments of glass vessels. There will be an opportunity to deal with both types.
According to type, finds will be prepared for study by specialists and for long-term, stable storage. This may involve the careful washing and marking of finds, which will be checked for items of particular interest revealed by the washing such as worked bone or graffiti scratched on pottery, while the identification, dating and full details of some objects may need to be transferred to record sheets for entry into a database as the objects enter permanent storage in the museum.
Earthwatch teams will be divided into groups of four or five and each group will rotate the many available tasks. The work will not be strenuous, but slow, careful and with an eye for detail and precision.
On Day 2 There will be the opportunity to visit the Great North Museum in Newcastle, for a tour of the Roman Galleries. The Museum houses a large number of items excavated at Arbeia in the late nineteenth century, as well as an impressive collection of finds from numerous sites along Hadrian’s Wall. You will also have free time to explore the rest of the Museum.
Meals and Accommodations
Volunteers are expected to make their own arrangements for accommodation. South Shields is a seaside town, and as such has a variety of different accommodations to suit all tastes and budgets, from hotels and guesthouses to self catering holiday lettings, caravans and camping sites, close to the research site. All meals will be the responsibility of the volunteers , but you may choose to eat together as a group. The research site provides facilities for lunch preparation and tea breaks, while tea, coffee and soft drinks will be provided. South Shields offers a wide choice of places to eat out. Whether you are looking for a snack, a pub meal or a sit down five-course meal or traditional fish and chips. It should be noted that the Monday 30 May is Spring Bank Holiday, a public holiday in the UK, therefore local shops and stores may be subject to restricted opening times.
About the Research Area
The region of Tyne and Wear is well known for its award winning beaches, amazing coastline, its wildlife, and its tranquil beauty. South Shields is located south east of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and is situated within the Tyneside conurbation, a famous former industrial area. The residential area where you’ll work is in a coastal holiday resort, with many parks and good beaches nearby. Much of the coastal area remains open and unspoiled, and the research site and accommodations lie in a quiet, residential area close to the North Sea and the mouth of the River Tyne.