Home Commercial services Artefact-based services Finds

Finds


Detail from the seal of a 17th century bottle made at John Baker's glasshouse at Vauxhall
    • |

The aims of the finds section include the reconstruction and interpretation of past human activity through the identification and study of assemblages in relation to their stratigraphic and topographical contexts.

We can provide a comprehensive service from on-site processing to report writing and archiving. Well developed and adaptable computerised recording systems facilitate analysis of all materials.

Our experienced staff are at the forefront of research and methodological development in their fields. They are available for lectures, workshops and training courses on all aspects of our work.

Advice and processing

  • on-site scanning of material for date ranges
  • finds processing – now undertaken in our purpose built facility, designed to provide an economic and speedy service
  • finds administration and archive preparation
  • identification and interpretation
  • X-radiography
  • packaging
  • assessments of assemblages for post-excavation analysis
  • advice on standards and the establishment of reference collections
  • retention policies, particularly kiln assemblages
  • advice on retrieval strategies including metal detecting
    •

    Pottery studies

  • Prehistoric – all wares from the south of England
  • Roman - all ware types from Britain and much of the Empire (including samian)
  • Anglo-Saxon - up-to-date knowledge of local, regional and imported ceramics
  • Medieval - a wide range of all locally made and imported ceramics from 900 to 1480; work by our specialists has produced the fundamental chronology on which all ceramic dating for the region is based
  • post-medieval - the full range of pottery used in London and the south of England from 1480 to 1800+, notably local coarsewares, delftware, finewares, porcelain and  industrial ceramics
  • analysis of ceramic kiln assemblages from all periods
  • illustration/preparation of artwork 
  • advice on research designs and publication strategies
  • advice on petrological analysis
  • advise on ceramic fabric reference collection curated by the LAARC
    •

    Finds research

  • Lithic analysis
  • Roman - all classes and materials, particularly copper alloy and iron artefacts, including tools, domestic items, agricultural implements and musical instruments
  • post-Roman coins
  • Glass - all periods
  • Anglo-Saxon - all categories of material
  • Medieval - all categories, notably lead objects. London has provided the material for a comprehensive series of medieval finds publications, largely the work of this section
  • post-medieval - all categories, notably metalwork and clay tobacco pipe research (see our clay pipe makers' marks website), drawing on the unrivalled resource of closely dated objects from London
  • industrial material - our specialists possess a range of expertise in the study of industrial and manufacturing processes
  • advice on the identification of materials and restoration of artefacts
    •

    Read the finds management capability statement

    New business enquiries

    To make an enquiry about commissioning work, please email MOLANewBusinessEnquiry@museumoflondon.org.uk or call 020 7410 2200.

    Examples