This guidance document provides an introduction to the ways that the archaeological evidence for metalworking is studied. Archaeometallurgical evidence can include whole landscapes, buildings, features, artefacts and waste materials (eg slag and crucibles).

Archaeometallurgy includes fieldwork investigations (survey and excavation) and the subsequent study of these data as well as any artefacts and residues recovered. Scientific approaches provide insights into the techniques used to produce different metals and how these were fabricated into artefacts.

Contents include
1. What to expect to find
2. Standards and good practice for archaeometallurgy
3. Archaeometallurgical processes and finds: iron and its alloys
4. Archaeometallurgical processes and finds: copper and its alloys
5. Archaeometallurgical processes and finds: lead
6. Archaeometallurgical processes and finds: other metals
7. Non-metallurgical residues and materials
8. Scientific techniques applied to metalworking
9. Where to get advice
10. Glossary
11. Bibliography

The previous edition of this document was compiled in 2001 by Justine Bayley, David Dungworth and Sarah Paynter with the assistance of the Historical Metallurgy Society's Archaeology Committee, with contributions by Peter Crew, Vanessa Fell, Brian Gilmour, Gerry McDonnell, Cath Mortimer, Peter Northover, David Starley and Tim Young. This edition was revised in 2015 by David Dungworth.

This statement sets out Historic England’s approach to surface-collected portable antiquities in the context of our own archaeological projects. Historic England also recommends the statement as a suitable model to follow for organisations that fund or authorise archaeological projects, and for land managers and individuals involved in giving consent for archaeological projects whatever the legal status of the site or sites involved. It is also a statement of good practice for portable antiquities/surface-collected material in the context of field archaeology and survey programmes (including the use of metal detectors).

Contents include
Introduction
International and domestic law and codes of conduct
Key principles
Field projects
Metal detecting
Trade in antiquities
What Historic England will do
Appendix 1: International law, domestic law, statutory schemes and voluntary codes of practice
Appendix 2: Definitions
Appendix 3: Case study: Metal detecting on historic battlefields
Appendix 4: Model waiver of rights to reward
Appendix 5: Bibliography
Acknowledgements

This edition updates codes of practice, legislation, the names of organisations, but removes references to the collections and museums of the English Heritage Trust. It also provides a new case study on metal detecting on battlefields.

This guidance is intended to aid archaeologists working on sites of historic industries. For the purpose of this guidance ‘industries’ are non-domestic manufacturing activities (but not the production of foodstuffs) and ‘historic’ covers the period from the early 17th century to the late 19th century. The advice demonstrates the additional information that can be obtained by applying scientific techniques. Some of the issues explored are particularly relevant to urban sites, but the principles have wider application. Despite the crucial contribution that scientific techniques can make to archaeology, their application to the post-medieval and later periods has been rare (Crossley 1998). This guidance describes some of the techniques that are commonly used and include examples of the ways in which they have been, or could be, applied to the archaeological remains of historic industries.

Contents include
Introduction
Fieldwork and sampling
Scientific analysis
Historic archives
Case studies
Where to get advice
References

An introduction to pre-industrial mines and quarries. People have mined and quarried stone and minerals for many thousands of years for a wide range of uses from crafting tools to producing building stone. The earliest evidence for mining and quarrying occurs during the Early Neolithic period around 4000 BC at a time when many innovations were being introduced into the UK.

 

Contents include
Summary
Introduction
Description
Chronology
Development of the asset type
Associations
Further reading
Where to get advice

An introduction to pre-industrial ironworks. Making an iron object involved several stages; the term ‘ironworking’ covers all of these and an ‘ironworks’ was where these activities took place.

 

Ironworks generally required some form of shelter, and so are often found in association with post-holes, slots or other structural remains. Although there is great variation, archaeological remains of smithies are more likely to be sited within an associated settlement, whereas the locations of smelting furnaces were dictated largely by the availability of resources such as ore, fuel and water, and so they can be found in apparent isolation.

 

Contents include
Summary
Introduction
Description and Chronology
Development of the asset type
Associations
Further reading
Where to get advice

This guidance provides recommendations on the minimum requirements for X-raying metal finds from archaeological projects. It is aimed both at those who commission, manage or monitor post-excavation projects that involve the recording and analysis of metalwork; and, to those who produce and use X-radiographs in the course of their work.

 

Contents include
Introduction
Why X-radiography is necessary
When to X-ray
What to X-ray
What X-radiography can show
How to make informative X-radiographs
How to view the X-radiographs
How much should it cost?
Where to get help

 

This guide is in the process of being updated, and will be replaced as soon as the new version is out