Carlisle Finds Conservation Delayed?

[Anonymous]

I've read in the Ermine St. Guard newsletter that the conservation and examination of the recently discovered "Carlisle Hoard" is going to be delayed for an unspecified number of years, citing liquidation of the Carlisle Archaeological Unit. What's the deal with this? Is somone else going to pick up the ball? <p></p><i></i>

[Matthew Amt]

Mike Bishop probably has the latest scoop on this, but yeah, it's got me crying! Heck, if they give me a cot in the corner and ten quid a day for food, I'll abandon my job and family and clean the stuff myself!<br>
<br>
Sigh....<br>
<br>
Matthew/Quintus <p></p><i></i>

[Luca]

In this case Mattew I will join you.....<br>
Luca <p></p><i></i>

[mcbishop]

Hi ho and let's hear it for the shortcomings of developer funding!<br>
<br>
Rumour has it (so, though fleet of foot, it could be completely wrong...) that the developer (the local authority in this case) have put or will be putting the post-excavation contract for the site out to tender again. I have even heard that one of the larger UK contractors has won this, but it is all rumour. Suffice it to say there *is* movement on this but patience will be necessary. It will probably take months just to tease apart and then conserve the blocks of gunk with all the armour in them, let alone sort out all the other finds. The *real* value of Carlisle (and I know all the military equipment is juicy on the hardware side of things) is the context of it all: it is potentially highly datable and comes at a crucial time of change in the early 2nd century, but all the specialist reports will take ages to produce.<br>
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Just remember, the Corbridge Hoard was excavated in 1964 but it took until 1967 to get it into a state where Robinson could look at it and make sense of what he saw, 1969 before he was confident enough of what he had to reconstruct the Corbridge cuirasses. The fact that it took until 1988 to publish was unfortunate and avoidable, but the conservation took time because it *is* a slow process. These days, things are much more sophisticated and the level of information retrieval has improved exponentially; moreover, the Hoard was just a pile of rust and mineral-preserved organics - Carlisle shows every sign of including genuine organics.<br>
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Mike Bishop <p></p><i></i>

[richsc]

So this isn't a case like Birley and Vindolanda this year where they need to appeal for funds?? If voluntary contributions would help out, perhaps they'll start somthing. <p>Aulus<br>
Legio XX<br>
ICQ 940236
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[mcbishop]

No, because it will have been a condition of the development being allowed to proceed that the developer fund the excavation (and post-excavation) to publication. Offer voluntary contributions and the developer will spot a way out of their obligations.<br>
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A great deal of hook-wriggling is usually done by developers who are happy to get the publicity whilst the goodies are coming out the ground, but more reluctant to open the chequebook when the time comes to cough up (there are exceptions to this, but the genuinely enlightened are, in my experience, in the minority). Thus has it always been and ever shall be until we get rid of the wretched developer funding.<br>
<br>
Mike Bishop (whose cynicism is starting to show through) <p></p><i></i>

[richsc]

I'm glad I didn't write that letter to the Times. The local politics are far more intricate, which is probably one advantage of a board like this, that you can find out the background. <p>Aulus<br>
Legio XX<br>
ICQ 940236
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[mcbishop]

The post-excavation for this project has been taken over by Oxford Archaeology North and I understand that it is hoped that work on the big blocks of armour will begin soon.<br>
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In the meantime, I am hoping to get permission to publish the pictures from my ROMEC XIII poster in the next Arma.<br>
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More info as it becomes available.<br>
<br>
Mike Bishop <p></p><i></i>

[richsc]

Posters? Collectibles suitable for framing??<br>
<br>
Say, would those Oxford fellows take to words of encouragement?? <p>Aulus, Legio XX.
the High Noise, Low Signal person for RAT.
ICQ 940236
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[mcbishop]

It's not up to OAN. The finds came from Crown Property (for which English Heritage is the agent) and I have to check out the ramifications of reproducing pictures of it. I am pretty sure that, under UK copyright law, I only need the permission of the owner of the copyright on the X-rays (the Armouries) but better safe than sorry, I always feel!<br>
<br>
Mike Bishop <p></p><i></i>