Dr Emily Williams

Associate Professor of Archaeological Conservation, Department of Archaeology

How were you involved?

As a conservator, my role was to help stabilise the materials and ensure that they did not deteriorate further. Metals, such as those found at Melsonby, can take up salts in the ground which can cause them to corrode very quickly once they are excavated.  We used silica gel and to help dry them out and prevent corrosion. I also helped document objects by photographing them, weighing and measuring them, and x-raying many of them. Since this is a treasure case, we were limited in terms of how much cleaning could be done in this phase but in some cases, it was necessary to remove dirt and mud from surfaces to help us identify the objects. To do this cleaning, I worked with tools like porcupine quills, scalpels and paintbrushes under a microscope, so that only the dirt was removed and any important clues about the object were noted and retained. Cleaning ‘the block’ involved using other tools commonly used for extracting dinosaur bones from rocky surroundings.

What did you discover in ‘the block’?

The block contained many of the same things as the larger excavation did, including bridle bits, terret rings, nave bands, linchpins, and spears. It had some differences though.  The objects in the block do not show the same exposure to fire that the others do. One of the most exciting discoveries in the block were traces of a textile that could have been used to wrap up all the objects prior to burial.

What did you learn and enjoy?

I’ve learnt more about a period that, as an American, was relatively new to me. The variety and volume of the material meant that we also needed to test new and different approaches and that has taught me some valuable lessons that will definitely inform my teaching.  Working with everyone on the project has been a really joyous experience. They have been so generous about sharing their knowledge, I’ve felt quite privileged to be involved.

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