LAARC VIP

 LAARC VIP Project - Week 5 (by Glynn Davis)

General Finds:
This week volunteers have achieved a huge amount with repackaging the general finds. Having finished 106BHS73 at the end of last week we have not only completed updating all material from the next site BLH73 (Bush Lane House) but have careered on into our largest site to-date: Custom House (Sugar Quay, Lower Thames Street). We have managed to update a plethora of Animal Bone – exactly half of the material in only three days (48 boxes’ worth!). Due to the interest shown by volunteers we have arranged for another workshop with our Museum of London, zoological specialist – if not at least to settle an argument over supposed bear claws!

Metal Store:
This week Adam and volunteers have been sorting, repackaging and updating a painstaking site with copious accessioned, metal objects: BSF81-87 (Beddington Sewage Treatment Works, Mile Road). This has led to us completely filling the first set of new racking with registered finds!

One discovery this week was a medieval potter’s tool for decorating ceramic pottery. This has been added to a titan ‘Object of the Month’ competition. You can place your vote at:
http://mymuseumoflondon.org.uk/blogs/archaeology/2008/10/31/object-of-the-month-october-2008/

Museum Specialists:
Our MoL Specialist this week – Nigel Jeffries – enlightened us on Post-medieval Ceramics. Sites 106BHS73 and BLH73 produced an array of material. Below is an ensemble of red fired clay ceramics including a cullender, coin jar and ‘metropolitan slipware’ style jug. Other interesting pieces included the common ‘Willow patterned’ plate and some lively Delftware!

Roman Cemetery Sites:

For more info, take a look at http://laarcvipu3a.wetpaint.com/