Leap into our artefact catalogues, finds studies and archiving processes with Amy Hellier, excavations and finds lab supervisor.
…………..
If you have joined us on excavation over the past three years, I more than likely have taken the find you discovered, placed it in a finds bag, scribbled on a context and finds number with a dry sharpie, before stashing it away somewhere. Yet what happens to these finds after excavation? This past year, I have been helping with the post-excavation process to understand how these artefacts are stored, catalogued and given to specialists for analysis, with the guidance of Professor Michael Given. We hope to create an accessible spreadsheet, or ‘main register’, collating all our finds from past GLAS excavations to allow a space for researchers and specialists to easily pick out key information about individual artefacts and their storage locations. This involves a lot of reorganising, relabelling, and cross-checking to ensure all artefactual information is correct and the objects are safely stored.
Archival boxes are labelled by site code (GC23, GC24, GC25), containing all the finds discovered from that particular excavation site. This is usually the ceramics, glass, stone objects, and non-ferrous metals. Any larger artefacts are stored separately to protect other smaller, fragile objects in the box – though sometimes they are just too big to fit the box! It is important to store finds correctly according to their material, since wood and metals like iron are more prone to breaking down once removed from their original contexts. Different storage locations mean artefacts may be accidentally misplaced, hence why keeping our registers clear and up to date is extremely important. It is also good to note when an artefact has been placed on loan for specialist analysis or use in engagement activities. All this information is stored in the main register. Everything inside the boxes are checked with the original finds register created onsite at excavation and then cross-checked with our main spreadsheet register, where any differences or problems are noted. I often have to correct duplicate finds numbers or take note of any misplaced artefacts or those on loan.
The main register is an ongoing compilation of finds from all years of GLAS excavations! Information about a find will go through the following steps: statistical information, material and type, basic description, and specialist notes. Each individual find is logged by site code, year, finds number, context number and context description, allowing for easy reference. Material and type identification is added through basic observation of the object itself, noting if it is metal, ceramic, glass or organic (leather, charcoal…), which is further broken down into type. Type refers to what the artefact is to differentiate it from others of the same material – two finds can be ceramic, but one is a clay pipe, the other a pottery sherd. A basic description provides further context to the artefact’s appearance, describing colour, size, inscriptions, marks or interesting decorations. For example, a ‘white glazed bodysherd with blue floral decoration’ can be better visualised than simply stating ‘white pottery’ allowing for easier identification, especially if you cannot physically see the artefact.
Another key task I have carried out is including notes from specialists who have been analysing our finds! Their notes add extra insight and knowledge, telling us specific dates, production locations and proper material identification. Many of our pottery finds come from other parts of Scotland, England, France, Germany, and Scandinavia, with a scope of dates falling between 16th to 19th centuries (Hall 2025). Some pottery pieces, like the Beauvais wares, date to the 13th/14th century! This falls in line with some of our other medieval finds, like an arrowhead, found near the same structure. These older items could be heirloom objects passed down through the family or tell a story of a settlement before the excavated 17th/18th century strata which we have encountered as residual finds.
I am particularly interested in the domestic material that has been discovered at Achnacon and the Summerhouse. They reveal a story of the ‘mundane’ tasks of everyday life in the 17th to 18th centuries, in an area otherwise famous for its Massacre and displacement of Highland peoples. Our domestic finds include a variety of clay pipes, coins, lots of vessel glass, whetstones, a bone comb, wooden knife handles, a plaid pin, a hairpin, and a potential gaming counter. A personal favourite pottery find is a redware vessel sherd with a large handle. The handle bears the thumbprint marks of its creator, where the once wet clay handle has been attached to the pot! Other redware/reduced ware pottery sherds of Scottish origin have been treated for residue analysis in the hopes of revealing any organic remains. This will give us a better understanding of food storage practices at the settlement.
Recently, we have begun work on our organic material from the 2023 excavations of the summerhouse of MacIain comprised of wooden and leather finds. There are a few leather offcuts, timber stakes, and excitingly the pitchfork found in a testpit by the dwelling. These finds have been kept in the cold store to prevent deterioration to allow for a fully analysis by organics specialist Dr Cynthia Larbey.
Leave a Reply