Archaeology Underwater: The NAS Guide to Principles and Practice

160 ARCHAEOLOGICALCONSERVATION ANDFIRST-AID FORFINDS

minimal budgets. It is often cheaper and more effective
to start the planning and acquisition of equipment, mater-
ials and supplies well in advance.

Project planning

The following issues should be addressed in advance of
project work:

• Arrangements need to be made with professional
  archaeological conservation and specialist analy-
  tical facilities (including details regarding trans-
  portation and insurance).


• In the UK, the Receiver of Wreck (Maritime and
  Coastguard Agency) must be notified of any
  ‘wreck’ material, recovered or landed in the UK. This
  is a legal requirement.


• A location should be designated for ‘first-aid’ facil-
  ities and for the storage of finds.


• Finds recording and registration systems need to be
  established.


• Potential sources of funding should be identified in
  the event of unforeseen finds (particularly, provision
  for large objects, such as guns or ship structure).


• A receiving depository, museum or archive needs
  to be confirmed for material recovered.


• Provision should be made for displays relating to the
  project, particularly within local communities and
  museums.

First-aid storage facilities

‘First-aid’ facilities for finds should:

• comprise a lockable and secure room or building,
  located close to the site or the project headquarters;


• have a working area that is clean, light and airy, and
  a storage area with reduced light levels;


• be sufficiently large to provide space for the acces-
  sioning, storage, recording and illustration of finds;


• be separated from the main project office, equipment
  storage, recording and documentation areas;


• be fitted with smoke-detectors, fire-extinguishers
  and any other appropriate fire-protection meas-
  ures, which should be serviced regularly;


• incorporate electricity and water supplies, with
  sinks, good lighting and ventilation.

The first-aid facilities should also have:

• good access for both visitors and finds, with access
  ramps for large finds;


• non-slip floors (preferably with drainage);


• tables or benches with waterproof surfaces;
  
  
  • refrigerators for the storage of finds and samples (but
    not for food);
  
  
  • ample space for storage containers, preferably with
    drainage systems;
  
  
  • robust shelving;
  
  
  • pest-monitoring systems;
  
  
  • a relatively stable environment, including heating
    in winter;
  
  
  • allocated areas for the safe storage of chemicals;
  
  
  • burglar alarms (if considered necessary);
  
  
  • emergency and conservation-related contact details
    (with a first-aid kit and accident book on site).
  
  
  
  

Additional measures might include:

• a water still or de-ionizing column;


• hoist and pulley systems for moving large artefacts;


• an incoming finds registration and evaluation area;


• allocated wet and dry work areas;


• a storage area for packing materials;


• a dry post-conservation storage area for the long-
  term storage of finds.

Materials and supplies

Ideally these will be sourced from conservation suppliers

and should include:

• small tools (stored in a tool box and accessible to
  those handling finds);


• paper towels and regular supplies of clean towels for
  drying hands;


• polyethylene (polythene) string, book-binding
  ties or archival tape (available from conservation
  suppliers) and stretch and non-stretch bandages
  (potentially useful in lifting);


• Tyvek (spun-bonded polyester) waterproof labels
  (with or without punched holes);


• conservation-grade acid-free tissue, bubble-wrap,
  polyether foam, polyethylene sheeting and self-seal
  plastic bags, ideally with write-on label areas;


• polyethylene foam (‘Plastazote’), available from
  conservation suppliers in varying thicknesses, in
  black or white (often useful for back-drops in
  photography and in finds packing, examination
  and support);


• gloves – vinyl, latex or nitrile (for compliance with
  health and safety regulations: e.g. neoprene or
  butyl rubber gloves should be worn when handling
  biocides and/or fungicides) or household rubber
  gloves (for heavy-duty work such as in changing
  storage water) – and check sizes and types with
  those expected to wear them (some personnel may
  require non-powdered or non-latex);