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All Posts By

Eleanor Blakelock

Feb 02
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Staffordshire Hoard Scientist at Birmingham Museum

By Work Experience

Staffordshire Hoard Scientist at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

2015-2016

A year post at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery funded by the Esmee Fairbairn foundation. I carried out more analysis of the metals in the Hoard at Birmingham Museum. There were two major projects planned. First, a large study of the silver in the Hoard using XRF to see if we can see any differences in composition over time, or whether different types of objects were being made out of different alloys.  The second project was to investigate more about the surface treatment taking place and to determine the solder used. I also found time to do a quick survey of the copper alloys in the Hoard and to study the niello objects.

A major component of the funding for this post was outreach. For this wrote several blogs, presented at conferences and was involved in behind the scenes tours and meet the expert events. It was great to be able to share the latest Staffordshire Hoard research with the public.

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Feb 02
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Staffordshire Hoard Scientist at the British Museum

By Work Experience

Staffordshire Hoard Scientist at the British Museum

2012-2014

This post involved analysis of the Staffordshire Hoard metalwork. I worked with a larger research team starting to answer questions about how the pieces were constructed, their origins and when it was deposited. Here I discovered they were surface treating the gold. The main focus of the study was the gold analysis. However, I also worked with silver objects from the hoard and had the opportunity to work with some of the museums own collections.

During my time at the museum, I became part of the larger science and conservation department. I also worked with curation staff from across the museum, but most closely the Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory. I was involved in the move to the newly built World Conservation and Exhibition Centre. I also took part in the department’s science day in the great court, gallery talks and outreach events.

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Feb 02
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Technician and Teaching Assistant at Bradford

By Work Experience

Technician and Teaching Assistant at Bradford

2007-2011

During my PhD I assisted in many archaeometallurgy practical workshops, for undergraduate or masters students undertaking the archaeometallurgy module. I was also required to prepare the samples before the sessions, and assisted in setting up and cleaning away the microscopes. In 2010-2011 I was responsible for the metallurgy laboratory, and for the masters or undergraduate student present. In this year I taught students how to use the equipment correctly and safely.

I have also demonstrated for many group tours of the Bradford department and have explained what goes on in an archaeometallurgy lab to all sorts of people from undergraduates, to the general public to school children. During science week I ran one of the ‘Science of the Past’ workshops aimed at A-level students.

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Feb 02
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Laboratory Student Placement

By Work Experience

University of Bradford Laboratory Student Placement

2005

Metallurgy

The placement with Gerry McDonnell in the metallurgy laboratory provided an opportunity to write a paper-based upon a previous second-year essay. This involved collecting various reports on knives together to create a synthesis. The placement strengthened my writing skills. I also did some analysis of an assemblage of knives using x-radiographs and took part in regular discussions about sampling strategies and methods.

Biomolecules

During excavations at Anuradhapura sherds of buff-ware pottery were found with an interior coating of bitumen. These sherds were dated to the 5th-9th century during which time Sri Lanka became the main centre of trade in the Indian Ocean. Bitumen does not naturally occur in Sri Lanka therefore it must have come from elsewhere. The analysis of bitumen lined ceramics from Sri Lanka introduced me to new analytical techniques including GC-MS and stable isotopes. This placement introduced me to archaeological biomolecular research. This placement also resulted in another paper.

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Jan 31
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English Heritage Student Placement

By Work Experience

English Heritage Placement

2004-2005

In the early 2000s, the English Heritage Technology Team used a range of scientific and archaeological techniques to investigate crafts and industries ranging in date from the Bronze Age to the modern day. I was lucky that my first ever job was a student work placement with this team based in Fort Cumberland, Portsmouth. The grade II listed building is an 18th-19th century pentagonal artillery fortification erected to guard the entrance to Langstone Harbour.

A range of equipment was available to study the ancient materials. Scientific analysis can provide information on such topics as craft skills, the economic status of archaeological sites and their trade links. During the placement I used the following equipment;

  • Microscopes
  • Hardness tester
  • Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (SEM-EDS)
  • X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)
  • X-Ray diffraction (XRD)

During the placement, I did a variety of research projects, these can be seen below. Many of the reports can be found in my publications.

The Butts, Worcester

Analysis of Roman iron slag and metal waste from the site.

Tap slag, furnace lining and a piece of iron bloom identified. The Romans were using iron ores from Forest of Dean to smelt iron. The iron bloom appeared to have been cooled quickly.

Sturton Foundry, South Petherton

Analysis of copper alloys and mould fragments.

Pieces of mould fragments showed that both cauldrons and skillets were being cast at the site, and some had makers marks. The analysis revealed an leaded antimony bronze alloy was being used.

Bedminster Glasshouse

Analysis of glass and residues from 18th century glasshouse

The majority of glass waste found at Bedminster was similar in composition to glass fragments found. The chemical signature of the glass showed that less plant ash than in earlier glasses.

Hounslow Cupels and Porcelain

Analysis of cupels for separating precious metals from ore or base metals.

The cupels were found located in the Isleworth pottery, along with pieces of bone ash porcelain. The analysis confirmed the suggestion that they were being crushed and used in the bone china recipe.

Roman brooches

Photography of a selection of Roman enamel brooches from Nor Nour

Close up examination of the enamel using a microscope showed how they were constructed. Analysis of the brooch metals showed the typical range of Roman copper alloys.

Hammerscale Experiment

Took part in filming to investigate how hammerscale forms

A high-speed camera was used to record spherical hammerscale formed during welding. The liquid metal is squeezed out of the join, and mid-air, the surface tension causes it to form a sphere.

Brandon Lead Pad

Examination of an unusual Anglo-Saxon lead pad with marks on the surface

A series of marks were recorded and analysed, using microscopes and SEM. It was highly likely the lead pad was used in metalworking, but the marks were too large to be from producing gold foils

Bloodmoor Hill

Analysis of copper alloys, crucibles and moulds from Anglo-Saxon settlement

A new Early Saxon crucible type was identified. Surface analysis revealed mostly leaded tin bronzes. Some of the recovered objects from the sites matched the moulds discovered.
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