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Arkengarthdale Archaeology Group Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1155775 |
SWAAG Honorary President:
Tim Laurie F,S,A, |
| SWAAG News Archive | |
| News Archive | |
| Changing environment and Roman artefacts | |
| For our first meeting of 2024, Doctor Gillian Taylor, Associate Professor at Teesside University, explained how a changing environment is impacting on the artefacts recovered at Vindolanda and Magna Roman forts. There is increasing concern that changes in climate are affecting the preservation of the unique artefacts as the chemistry of their burial sites alters. Some materials, such as metal and ceramics, are relatively resistant to change but the wooden tablets, which give such an insight into Roman life on Hadrian’s Wall, are more susceptible. The writing can fade and the wood crumble. Thousands of leather shoes have been discovered at Vindolanda but as summers become drier the anaerobic environments that currently preserve these ancient leather artefacts will vanish. Textiles are even more fragile and worryingly none have been recovered in any excavations since 2019. Scientists and archaeologists are working together to monitor and track changes. Weather stations have been set up at Vindolanda and Magna. Sensors below ground now continuously record changes in soil chemistry e.g. pH values, conductivity, moisture content, and microbe activity. A picture of past climatic and soil conditions is also being established through core sampling and radio carbon dating. This was a very thought-provoking talk as these are issues that will be facing archaeologists across country. J. H. |
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| News Record: 179 Updated: 28-01-2024 16:21:04 | |