• Offered for Year: 2024/25

• Module Leader(s): Professor Lisa-Marie Shillito
• Lecturer: Dr Sally Waite, Dr Louise Rayne, Dr Magdalini Theodoridou
• Technician: Ms Diana Blumberg
• Visiting Professional: Mr Andrew Richard Parkin

• Owning School: History, Classics and Archaeology
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

To introduce key themes and debates in heritage science

To provide students with skills to select appropriate analytical methods for different cultural and environmental heritage materials

To develop critical thinking in the acquisition and interpretation of scientific data for different audiences

Outline Of Syllabus

Heritage Science describes the interdisciplinary scientific study of natural and cultural heritage. It is a rapidly expanding area, encompassing aspects of archaeological and environmental science, conservation, analytical chemistry, engineering and more. It sits at the interface of science and humanities, bridging the SHAPE-STEM divide. Scientific analysis is crucial to understanding and interpreting material culture and landscapes but cannot be used in isolation. Results must be interpreted in context, with an understanding of the materials being studied, and crucially the questions we want to answer. What is it made from, and why do we want to know? How was it made, how was it used, where did the raw materials come from? What is the object biography and how might that influence the scientific results? How can we distinguish between human activity and natural processes of degradation? This module equips students both with the scientific knowledge to select and apply the most appropriate analytical techniques for commonly occurring heritage materials, but also the critical skills to interpret scientific data, and design scientific analysis that is appropriate to answer specific questions about the objects and the people who made them. Students will gain training in some of the most commonly used analytical techniques in archaeology and the GLAM sector, and an understanding of the role of science in the management of the UK’s heritage.

The syllabus may vary from year to year, the following is broadly indicative of the module content:
- Introduction to heritage science from landscapes to material culture
- The role of science in the management of the UK’s heritage
- A bicycle made for two – heritage science at the interface of SHAPE and STEM
- Practical heritage science – material degradation, environmental characterisation and monitoring, destructive and non-destructive techniques
- Recording, documentation and visualization at different scales – remote sensing and 3D imaging
- High resolution imaging - Microscopy and CT analysis for archaeological and heritage science
- What is it made from? Sampling and analytical strategies for different materials (ceramic, glass, stone, bone, soil, metals, plastics and polymers).
- Spectroscopic and elemental techniques – pXRF, SEM-EDX and ICP methods for determining composition
- Biomolecular techniques – proteomics, lipids and DNA in cultural heritage
- The historic built environment and smart heritage conservation
- How museums and other heritage venues make use of the results of science in their interpretation
- Case studies in applied heritage science with the Great North Museum

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures will provide a detailed summary of key topics and cover the necessary scientific background to different techniques. Seminars will provide students with the opportunity to discuss how scientific data is interpreted and used to inform research and conservation. Practicals provide hands on training in the use of key analytical equipment. A museum visit will help students understand how the scientific techniques are used in practice to inform heritage management.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The technical report will provide experience of reporting on data analysis (generated during practical classes) of different materials and interpretation of the data. The portfolio project will be a ‘museum communication’ assessment such as a short film, gallery talk or display, related to a topic from the module content, explaining the science and results to a museum audience.

Reading Lists

• ARA8395's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• ARA8395's Timetable