The working life of Museum of London

Thanks to everyone who has visited these pages over the last fortnight and voted for their favourite object from our 6th Volunteer Inclusion Programme.

16 objects rediscovered during the 5th LAARC Volunteer Inclusion Project were narrowed down to 4 during the first rounds of voting and we can now reveal he winner is…

The Roman Finger Ring Key!

This key was rediscovered by volunteer Nuri and would have probably opened a casket or small box. Originally it was found by archaeologists in 1975 during excavations at St Magnus, New Fresh Wharf, (SM75)

And that’s that for VIP6. We started VIP 2 years ago and have seen over 150 volunteers participate in the programme. During September we shall be revealing details about our 7th VIP project (Oct-Dec) and how YOU can get involved.

But for now, we’re taking a little break. Toodle Pip

Ladies & Gents, VIP6 Has Left The Building

This week we wrapped things up as we completed the 6th project within our Volunteer Inclusion Programme at the Museum of London’s Archaeological Archive.

The final week of all our projects is really a final half week as it was only the mornings spent working through the collections at LAARC. Both Monday & Friday’s teams completed their experience by working with Glynn on the final boxes of animal bone from the 1974 site at the Triangle of Billingsgate Buildings (TR74). Lots of boxes of lovely animal bone have now been placed into good sturdy new bags with legible labels and most importantly, organised into numerical order, using their context numbers (numbers relating to the layer in the ground in which the objects were found). With this site now complete we moved on to completing another site, 8 Union Street (8US74) and even worked through boxes of a third site, Baynard House, (UT74).

So, after an early lunch, we boarded the bus and then the DLR and journeyed to Museum of London Docklands! Our afternoon was spent enjoying some fantastic tours led by the excellent folks at our Canary Wharf site.

First of all we started with a tour of another of the museum’s archives. Or indeed, two, as we got to have a peak behind the scenes at the Port of London Authority & the Sainsbury Archive stores. Some great objects and historical documents were brought out for our perusal, whilst archivists Claire, Clare & Jayne explained how their archives operate.

Following this is was down to the recently opened exhibition about Girl Guides. Curator Jim Gledhill led us round the space, highlighting aspects of the exhibition, showing us special objects selected for the cases and providing us with information about the history of Girl Guides (who are celebrating their centenary).

We ended our day with a brilliant tour around Sailortown – the reconstructed streets of the 19th Century. Visitor hosts, Dave & Sue took us round the ins and outs of the dark narrowed streets and buildings as we were absorbed by the sights, sounds & smells(!) of 1850’s Wapping.

Wednesday’s Capital A team were also down at Docklands, only they had the comfort of the Museum’s Wilberforce Theatre to complete their experience. Having spent the past 9 weeks building up a portfolio of photos and video and using these to create short films, we finally got the chance to relax and watch the final results. 6 really good films were made, all with real character. A diverse, fun range of shorts, they all told a story, each with a different experience of volunteering at LAARC.

And that’s it for another project. In fact, that could well be the last project based at LAARC… In the meantime if you would like to have a say in deciding the best object from VIP6 you can still vote until next Wed at noon.

Thanks To all VIP6 Volunteers!

The seventh and final VIP project commences in October. More will be revealed during September, but all we can say at the moment is that this project is going to be bigger, bolder and be as inclusive as can be. And EVERYONE, including YOU can get involved. wAtch thIs spAce…

A Week On The Tiles

The penultimate week of this project saw volunteers tackle a tricky site – Merton Priory, dug over several years and consequently archived under several codes: MPY76, MPY77, MPY83, MPY86 & MPY88. As can be expected with monastic sites, many medieval floor tiles were found during the excavations. Whilst most of the material had been packed to the archive standards, many objects due to one thing or another were kept in different parts of the building. The VIP6 project is the first time we’ve had the chance to amalgamate all the tiles from all the years, finally bringing the archive together.

Nearly 1000 floor tiles have been audited this week! Phew!

In addition, most of the glass was also completed by volunteers which means the vast majority of the non metals from the site have now been sorted. We have almost reached our target for this project and have certainly reduced the number of boxes these archives are occupying. Over the next month, we’ll be finishing off the reboxing and will find out just how many.

Over on General finds, more success. Monday’s volunteers worked through the remainder of the animal bone from 1974’s excavation at the Triangle of Billingsgate Buildings (TR74) and most of that site has now been sorted out. On Friday, Glynn too was busy reboxing some of the previous sites we’ve repacked and things are starting to look ship shape as boxes are relocated onto their shelves.

Wednesday’s teams were back at the Museum of London for their second week in the Clore Learning Centre with E-Learning Officer Paul Clifford. Using software such as photostory for windows and windows movie maker, the Capital A volunteers completed their films about their LAARC VIP6 experience. Some truely excellent stuff was produced. This is even more impressive when you take into consideration that most of the volunteers had rarely used computers in the past, let alone made films.

In the afternoon it was the Young Archaeologist Families’ turn to make their films and comics. Again some of the best work ever seen in the e-learning studio was produced, with our young volunteers using photos, video, voice recordings and music. One volunteer pushed the technology to its limits, creating a comic with one package, animating the comic with another and then using the animated comic as part of her final movie. Absolutely brilliant.

To top the week off, we had a very special workshop as we welcomed our lovely LAARC colleagues based at the Museum – oesteologists, Jelena & Becky. With a human skeleton laid out to examine, volunteers were shown how the body’s bones articulate before viewing signs of pathology which are evident in changes in the bone. A fascinating workshop.

Finally a quick reminder that the object of VIP6 competition has now reached its Grand Final stage and you can vote for your favourite object by visiting the blog below. Voting closes on Wed 25th August at noon.

Ladies & Gentlemen. You’ve been voting all week for your favourite objects to determine which is the best artefact from VIP6. Well, the winners are in and are ready to do battle. It’s time for…

OBJECT OF VIP6! THE GRAND FINAL!

Monday’s winner was this super Saxon “Bird” Pin. Audited by Friday volunteer Claire during Week 8’s session, this is a rare example of a late Saxon (C11^th – C12^th) ivory ‘hipped’ pin’. It was found during excavations at Merton Priory. (MPY88) The pin could be interpreted as representing a bird with feathered wings, eye and the shaft as an elongated beak. The presence of this late pin (as well as waste from antler and ivory working) on the site indicates affluence and perhaps a settlement nearby, maybe of a monastic nature.

The second winner was repacked during week 5 and was a joint effort by Monday’s volunteers Emma & Lucy. Found in 1974 at “The Triangle” (TR74), this is a very rare example of a woven Roman basket. A leather thong would have connected with the leather tag at the top to close the basket. Preserved by the waterlogged conditions of the waterfront, the site was originally a Roman quay. The material deposited in the quay may have come from a warehouse clearance and perhaps the basket was used by a Roman constructing the quay in the first half of the 2^nd Century AD and then lost or disposed of.

Wednesday’s winner was repacked by Monday volunteer Deborah during Week 3. This  fine medieval sheath from Billingsgate excavations (BWB83) dates to around the mid 14th Century. The engraved/embossed decoration features a number of anonymous animals. Due to the zoomorphic decoration the blades are usually interpreted as ‘hunting’ knives, although knives were commonplace and multipurpose tools in the medieval period.

The final winner of the week was audited by Friday volunteer Nuri during Week 4. This metallic object comes from another large excavation near the archaeological waterfront of the Thames – St Magnus, New Fresh Wharf (SM75). This very well preserved Roman finger ring had a very practical purpose for the security minded Roman. It would probably have opened a small box or casket containing valuables such as jewellery. To date we still haven’t discovered a matching key and lock…

Tough choices but there can only be one winner. And it’s up to you to decide. This time however, you’ve got plenty of time to make a decision as the competition is open for a over a week and voting closes on Wed 25th August at noon.

To cast your vote and have your say click here:

VOTE

Thanks to everyone who has voted over the past week and has supported our VIP6 project. We hope you’ve enjoyed it.

If you have any thoughts you’d like to share about the competition or our project please leave a comment below.

Welcome back blog readers for the fourth & final round of the competition before tomorrow’s Grand Final.

Yesterday’s winner was…

THE LEATHER SHEATH!

Congratulations to Deborah whose object joins Monday’s winner Claire’s Saxon Bird Pin and Tuesday’s winners Emma & Lucy’s Roman Basket

Your final four await:

Candidate #1 is a handsome little vessel all the way from Cologne (though excavated in 1975 at Newgate Street (GPO75)). Dating from the mid 16th Century, it bears a bearded face which is commonly interpreted  as mocking Cardinal Bellarmine, an unpopular figure of the time. The jug is decorated with an inscription, which loosely translates as: ‘What God wants, he gets’, as well as six portrait heads. It was packed during Week 2 by Monday volunteer Michael

Your second choice was packed by Friday volunteer Miriam during Week 6. Originally found at the site of the former City of London Boys School (BOY86), this is part of a far larger medieval, woven textile (probably wool). The preservation of this rare find is once again due to the archaeological conditions of the Thames waterfront – specifically a reclamation dump supporting the riverside wall. The weave type is described as ‘tabby’ and the original colour of the wool was probably much different, maybe even coloured!

Third up is one for the leather enthusiasts out there. Another from Week 6, Friday volunteer James audited this fragile find which is a fine example of a post-medieval (1485-1714) shoe heel. The layers of leather are fixed together by metal pins from the base. On top can be seen holes for the heel’s attachment to the shoe’s sole, providing detailed evidence of how these shoes were constructed. It was excavated in 1986 at Carter Lane (CAT86)

Your final choice is a spectacular Roman artefact. Audited by Friday volunteer Nuri during Week 4, this metallic object comes from another large excavation near the archaeological waterfront of the Thames – St Magnus, New Fresh Wharf (SM75). This very well preserved Roman finger ring had a very practical purpose for the security minded Roman. It would probably have opened a small box or casket containing valuables such as jewellery. To date we still haven’t discovered a matching key and lock…

Which one do you want to see join the others in tomorrow’s Grand Final?

To vote click here: VOTE

Thanks to everyone who has voted over the past four days. We’ve hoped you’ve enjoyed playing and viewing just a selection of the fine artefacts within LAARC’s walls.

For more info about excavations the objects come from or what went on during the VIP week’s that they were rediscovered click on any of the highlighted text above.

See you for the Grand Final

Day 3 in the Big Battle between our best objects rediscovered during the VIP6 project. But what was the winner from yesterday?

The second object going into Friday’s Grand Final is…

THE ROMAN BASKET!

Well done to Lucy & Emma who join Monday’s winner Claire’s object, the Saxon Bird Pin

Ready for Round 3…

The first contestant today was repacked by Monday volunteer Deborah during Week 3. This  fine medieval sheath from Billingsgate excavations (BWB83) dates to around the mid 14th Century. The engraved/embossed decoration features a number of anonymous animals. Due to the zoomorphic decoration the blades are usually interpreted as ‘hunting’ knives, although knives were commonplace and multipurpose tools in the medieval period.

Second up was only repacked by Monday volunteer Maria last week during Session 8. Originally excavated at Sir John Cass School (CASS72), this is a somewhat deceptive 19th Century bottle. Its ‘marbled’ colouration is actually a result of the glass degrading and would originally have been coloured brown. It reads: ‘By The Kings Patent True Cephalick Snuff’ and as such would have been used to treat aliments of the head. The snuff may not have been tobacco based, but rather a reference to how the medicine was administered.

Your third choice was excavated at Newgate Street in 1975 (GPO75) but rediscovered during VIP6 by Monday volunteer Miranda during Week 4. This Roman copper lamp would have been more costly than the more common ceramic lamps (which are sometimes dusted with mica in an effort to imitate their metallic counterparts). The lamp has lost part of its crescent shaped handle but has survived fairly well considering! It would originally have been suspended by a chain from the wall or ceiling, attached to the side and back ringlets, but would emit very little light.

Today’s final candidate was audited during week 7 by Friday volunteer Simona. Excavated in 1976 at Milk Street (MLK76), this oyster shell of the late 12th Century has been reused as a paint palette. Oysters were a popular delicacy in the medieval period, and there is a long tradition of them being reused as palettes. The traces of red are probably vermillion – an expensive product for its time which could have been used in wall paintings of churches or for the illumination of manuscripts.

Four great objects but which is your favourite? To vote click here: VOTE (voting has now closed but you can still vote in round 4)

Voting closes at noon tomorrow (Thurs 12th Aug).

Join us then to find out the result of today’s competition and choose your final winner before Friday’s Grand Final.

For more info about excavations, what we did each week or for larger photos, click on any highlighted word in the text or image.

Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed yesterday’s competition. The winning object was…

THE SAXON BONE BIRD PIN!

Today’s competition then:

First up, an object from Week 7. Audited by Monday volunteer Laura, this cool 10^th Century comb used to be on display in the Museum of London’s old Saxon gallery! Combs are one of the most common artefacts from early medieval London and obviously an important accessory. The comb’s teeth are made from a sheet of horn and the ‘side-plates’ from cattle ribs which are riveted together. In the later medieval period horn is replaced by wood as a more common material for combs, although ivory is also popular throughout. This one came from excavations at Milk Street during 1976 (MLK76)

The second object trying to win your support comes from New Fresh Wharf excavations (SM75) but was rediscovered during week 5 by Wednesday volunteer Gillian. This amphora neck bears painted graffiti which translates as ‘the best fish sauce’. This storage vessel would have therefore contained the commodity garum (which we could call ‘Roman ketchup’!). The form of the amphora may be a Dressel 28, produced in the Guadalquivir valley of Baetica (Roman Spain) and imported to London.

The third candidate was also repacked during week 5 and this time it’s a joint effort by Monday’s volunteer’s Emma & Lucy. Found in 1974 at “The Triangle” (TR74), this is a very rare example of a woven Roman basket. A leather thong would have connected with the leather tag at the top to close the basket. Preserved by the waterlogged conditions of the waterfront, the site was originally a Roman quay. The material deposited in the quay may have come from a warehouse clearance and perhaps the basket was used by a Roman constructing the quay in the first half of the 2^nd CenturyAD and then lost or disposed of.

The final object today was the very first object to be packed during this project. Saturday volunteer Paul packed this aftefact from the General Post Office at Newgate Street (GPO75) during week1. This piece of human skull exhibits sharp force trauma to the right frontal side, above the eye socket. The polished edge and style of wound suggest this could have been inflicted by a sword. Although this may not have been the fatal blow, it would certainly have caused trauma and swelling to the brain!

To vote for your favourite object from today’s selection, click here: VOTE (Voting has now closed, but you can vote in round 4)

Voting closes tomorrow afternoon (Wed 11th Aug) at 13.00.

Thanks for playing and don’t forget there’ll be another competition tomorrow with four more objects to choose from. Click on the “RSS” icon towards the top right of the page to keep updated with all the competitions this week.

Hello blog readers! If you’ve been reading our blogs over the past 8 weeks, you’ll know that during our Volunteer Inclusion Project, we regularly rediscover loads of amazing objects. Well, as Inclusion is one of our focuses, it’s high time we included all of you too in this, our 6th project. So welcome to your chance to have your say as to which object should be crowned object of the project. Yep. It’s time for…

OBJECT OF VIP6!

Glittering Glass & Movie Making

Another successful week in the archive as we cracked on with getting archives from the 1970’s up to scratch.

Monday’s team successfully completed the repacking of the Sir John Cass School archive (CASS72). In the morning with some of the objects in need of a registered finds number, it was up to the volunteers to issue them with a unique number, fill in new labels, a registered finds card and pack the object with a piece of jiffy foam. Included amongst these finds was one of the objects of the week; a cool glass bottle used as a container for snuff. In the afternoon it was more glass to pack, this time from the 1976 London Docks site (LD76), as well as some medieval floor tiles from the various Merton Prior sites (MPY76-88)

Friday’s team started with the Merton site (MPY76-88) sorting out the general glass & tobacco pipes and auditing bone, wood and stone finds, before moving on the the general finds project’s next site, The Triangle of Billingsgate Buildings (TR74)

The focus on glass this week was linked in to our workshop, led by non other than archive manager, Francis Grew. Starting with some images and video of glass blowing, we then spent time in the ceramic & glass store studying 10 excellent examples of 18th & 19th century vessels.

Wednesday’s teams have completed their time with finds and started to second phase of their project – creating films, slideshows and comics using the photos and videos they’ve taken over the past 7 weeks. Under the guidance of the museum’s e-learning officer, Paul Clifford, the volunteers let their creativity run wild. A second session next week will see them finish their pieces showing different aspects of LAARC and their experience of VIP6.

Over the past eight weeks we’ve processed loads of boxes of material, not only improving 100’s of boxes but reducing sites by several boxes too. Along the way, we’ve rediscovered lots of cool stuff. 16 objects have stood out though and it’s now time for them to fight it out. Prepare yourselves folks. Bookmark this blog. Because starting on Monday next week my friends, it’s time for…

OBJECT OF VIP6 – BATTLE OF THE FINDS!

Click on the above highlighted text for more info or simply scroll down to the blog below.

For more photos visit our Flickr account and for more info on any of the sites we’ve worked on, click on the highlighted sitecode in the text.

The Winner of Object of VIP5

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, whether you’re regular readers of these pages or brand new visitors, I’d like to bring to your attention, our new competition which shall hit these pages next week.

Some of you may well be aware that at the museum’s archaeological archive we run a Volunteer Inclusion Project, where a wide range of volunteers help us out by packing, sorting and checking our finds from the 1970’s. Each week we rediscover an amazing array of finds that deserve some attention and each week we select two artefacts that stand out among the rest.

We’ve now got 16 star objects (a sample are above) which we’ve been admiring over the past 8 weeks in our display case outside our archive. But as not everyone has the chance to visit our tip top store, we’d like to share the fun with you all, right here on the blog pages, wanting your votes to decide on a winner.

So, there’s only one thing we can do…

LET THE FINDS FIGHT IT  OUT!

It’s time for…

OBJECT OF VIP6 COMPETITION!

Each day next week, 4 objects will be put up in a DAILY CONTEST competing against each other trying to win your favour.

Because of this, be sure to check these pages each day, to see which objects will be strutting their stuff. There will be four different objects to choose from each lunchtime, Monday -Thursday, with each daily victor competing in the grand final on Friday. And the best way to make sure you don’t miss a thing is by clicking on the “RSS” icon on the top right of this page.

So get those fingers ready and get set for a bit of lunchtime fun each day.