Conservation support for archaeological excavations

Since 1993, AOC Archaeology Group has undertaken conservation for Historic Scotland through a call-off conservation contract. The contract encompasses work on assemblages from archaeological sites as well as the collections from the Properties in Care Historic Scotland manages.

One instance of the work this contract entails was provided by widening of the A1 in East Lothian, a major road project that required archaeological excavation in advance by several archaeology companies. The AOC Archaeology Group conservation laboratory acted as a clearing house for all artefacts that were recovered from the various sites encountered on the route.

The most spectacular find was an unexpected Bronze Age cemetery and cremation enclosure discovered near Eweford, close to Dunbar. Several large, fragile cremation pots were treated on site by our conservation teams, and then lifted entire and brought back to our laboratory to be x-rayed, and then conserved and made ready for display. The site at Phantassie yielded glass and shale pieces, and an iron draw-plate for making wire; here radiography was crucial in identifying the significant finds from the site.

AOC Conservator: Amanda Clydesdale
Client: Historic Scotland