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| Volunteers Martin and Sanaurah cleaning artifacts |
We are off to the races for our 2024 season! As our brave excavators are out in the field, we are busy cleaning the dirt off all their hard work. A variety of people have visited the lab in St. Georges, locals and tourists alike, who are interested in the work being done in the field. They are usually delightfully surprised when they get a peek into the lab side of archaeology.
As artifacts come in from the field, my side of the work begins. The first step in the process is washing and drying the dirty artifacts. Though we aren’t in the dirt, we lab rats still get our hands (and oftentimes our clothes) dirty while cleaning the incoming artifacts. Our dedicated volunteers are at the forefront of our cleaning operations, making sure our artifacts come out sparkling and ready for the identification process.
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Mike filling up "Martha" (the other
cleaner is named "Stewart") |
This process can take from ten minutes for a small bag to up to three hours for a large bag. Thanks to the arrival of two new ultrasonic cleaners, we are hoping to cut down this time significantly! after being placed in the cleaners for 20 minutes, artifacts come out with the dirt pre-loosened. This makes cleaning them much easier and we hope this will speed up the cleaning process in the long term. Mike filling up the Ultrasonic cleaners (this machine has been named Martha). |
| A sherd of North Devon Sgraffito ceramic |
After the artifacts have been cleaned and left to dry overnight, we can begin the identification, sorting, and inventory process (my favorite part, personally). We have been finding plenty of plastic and plant identification tags which date to the hydroponics farming in the 1960’s and 1970’s on Smith’s Island. We also have been finding regimental buttons, pipestems, and loads of ceramics. I have been hard at work as my ceramic identifying skills are tested every day on this project. Some ceramics are easy enough to identify at a quick glance, while others have me scratching my head and flipping through the pages of my ceramics handbook.
Anyone who comes into lab can attest how often I have been tapping, scraping, and licking (yes, licking) different artifacts to test what they are. It may look crazy to outsiders, but there is a method to my madness. |
My personal favorite piece: a small sherd of transfer- printed whiteware with a little sheep (who I think looks conniving but some think he is just happy… you may debate in the comments).
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Those who work in the lab get an up close and personal look at all our artifacts, and seeing their excitement is the reason I love working in the lab so much. Being able to get a close look at all the “cool finds” in the field is such a privilege, as well as being able to get a close look at some of the more unassuming artifacts. We see so many pieces come through every day that there is almost always something to get excited about.
It makes me impassioned to think that these artifacts were a part of someone’s life, and I get the chance to see just a little glimpse into history. I am also seeing types of artifacts I have never seen before, such as regimental buttons and a cannon ball.
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| Xander and Ewan working hard at inventory on a rainy day |
So far this season has exceeded all my expectations. As someone new to this project, I have been warmly welcomed and I am settling in nicely. Being able to work in the lab every day is truly a joy and has allowed me to thrive in an area I am passionate about. This group has been working so hard both in the field and the lab, and I cannot wait to see what we accomplish in the upcoming weeks!
The duality of lab supervisor (I told you I lick artifacts!)
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