Finds Processing & Documenting

Finds Processing and Documenting is the post-excavation stage of cleaning, marking, sorting, and preparing artefacts for long-term storage and analysis. This process involves carefully washing finds to reveal details, carefully drying them, and then permanently labeling each item with a site code and context number for future identification. The final steps include weighing the cleaned material, quantifying it by type, and packaging it in archive-safe bags for storage.

Steps in finds processing

Initial sorting: Before washing, finds are sometimes sorted by material type (e.g., pottery, bone, metal) to simplify the cleaning process.
Cleaning: Artefacts are washed to remove soil, which can hide important details. Cleaning methods vary by material; for example, pottery is typically washed with lukewarm water and a soft brush, while metal finds are often cleaned dry. Fragile items require gentle cleaning, sometimes only with a soft brush or by hand.
Drying: After cleaning, artefacts are placed on labeled trays to dry completely. It is crucial to keep finds from different contexts separate during this process.
Labeling: Once dry, each artefact is marked with a permanent, waterproof ink. The marking includes a unique site code and a context number (identifying the specific feature).
Quantifying and weighing: The cleaned and labeled finds are weighed and counted. This quantitative data is added to a database and helps specialists understand the assemblage.
Packing: Finds are packed into archive-safe bags or boxes with protective materials to ensure their long-term preservation. The final packaging is labeled with the site code and material type.

Once completed the collections of pottery, bones, etc will go to professional experts for specialist analysis and reporting.

Why finds processing is important

Reveals hidden details: Cleaning removes dirt that may conceal markings, decorations, or other important features.
Preserves artefacts: Proper drying and packaging prevent damage and degradation over time. This process ensures the finds are stable for future analysis.
Enables analysis: Processing provides the clean, organized, and documented material needed for specialists to conduct in-depth analysis, classify artefacts, and answer research questions.
Maintains historical record: The accession and context numbers created during processing link each find to its exact location and site, providing an essential part of the archaeological record.

Pot Cleaning Parties -

After any project, where we have collected a large amount of finds, we will normally hold a 'pot cleaning party' at a conveniently placed village hall, to process the finds. So even if you miss the actual field walk or dig, you can still be involved and handle some of the finds. If you're not an outside sort of person, or have mobility issues that mean you can't make it out into the field, there's still an opportunity to participate in the warm and dry with a tea or coffee and a biscuit usually on offer (or if you're really lucky a slice of one of Jean's cakes).

Volunteering Opportunities at the Suffolk County Council Archaeological Archives Service

There are also opportunities for group members to volunteer at the Suffolk County Council Archaeological Archives Service at their main repository in Bury St Edmunds. Our members assist in ensuring that the bulk and small finds deposited in the Archive are properly packaged and stored, ready for analysis by specialists.

You can find out more about the Suffolk County Archaeological Archives Service at - https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/culture-heritage-and-leisure/suffolk-archaeological-service/archaeological-archives-service

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