Database development

Work has been steadily progressing on the digital relational database. The database developer has produced a beta version of the platform and data entry forms, which will be revised and polished over the next several months. The aim of the database is to provide a digital record for each of the artifacts that will be stored in the facilities. Some records will include 2D photographs, others 3D images. All diagnostic artifacts will have their own DM code that will be used for both tracing the artifact to its location with the SA facilities and accessing its file within the database from a hand-held scanning device.

Work Assist Vehicle

 

J.H. Ryder has delivered our new Work Assist Vehicle (Crown WAV 50 Series). The WAV fits perfectly down the aisles of the facility, allowing safe access to either side of the shelving aisle. The platform raises to a height of 125", over 10', allowing us to safely raise and store up to 4 boxes at a time on the highest shelves without having to carry the boxes manually up a ladder.

International Collaboration

Sustainable Archaeology is pleased to announce our partnership and support of the Archaeological Data Service (ADS, York, UK) for a pan-European proposal to create a cohesive digital research infrastructure under the acronym ARIADNE. The consortium incorporates 24 partners from across 16 European countries and 3 transnational partnerships, with SA representing Canada as the 4^th international partner. SA will collaborate with the consortium on the development of standards and interoperability of the digital archaeological record.

GPR work at Tecumseh Park

 

Belated post! This photo was taken 2 months ago (in September), when there were still leaves on the trees. Sustainable Archaeology's geophysic's unit was training Tom Porawski of Timmins Martelle Heritage Consultants, Inc. how to use the Ground Penetrating Radar to search for burials associated with the War of 1812 in Tecumseh Park, Chatham, Ontario. You can check out the story in the London Free Press, here:

1812 Soldiers' Graves Sought

Autumn

 

The autumn colours have already started to fade, as this month marks a full year since major construction started at the new facility. A year ago there was a parking lot where the office in which this blog is now being written and published once was. While progress on the ground has seemed to drag, looking over the photos of the past year it is actually quite remarkable how much has been accomplished and how many people have been involved in the process. We've met and engaged with individuals from departments across campus and the London community on a daily basis - from UWO Research Services, Purchasing and Finance Departments, Facilities Management, ITS, Security, and the Faculty of Social Science, to the architects and engineers at Spriet Associates and Integrated Engineering, Tonda Construction, Brad Baker, Shamrock Mechanical, CHUBB security, JPW Systems, the City of London, and a host of sub-contractors who've done everything from install our doors to sprayed fire-retardant insulation, poured concrete and planted our trees. We spent months with Thames Office Systems and Spacesaver as our shelving was installed and tweaked. We've met a lot of wonderful people who have been patient, knowledgeable, professional and instrumental in the success of this first stage of our development - our thanks go out to them for the long hours they've put in, the hurdles they've helped us over, their patience and their good sense of humour. Thanks as well to the Museum of Ontario Archaeology - we've used and altered their space, ripped apart their walls, muddied their floors, and intruded on their peace and quiet. We look forward to making it worth the effort :)

Boxes have arrived

 

Our first shipment of 6000+ boxes from Enviropack have arrived at the facility.

Faxitron Digital X-ray

 

Now that construction of the Sustainable Archaeology Research Centre is complete at the University of Western Ontario, we have been busy purchasing our new equipment. This is the new digital x-ray machine - a Faxitron, model 43855F with CR scanner and N90 nanofocus from PharmMedSci. This unit is housed in the Ancient Images Laboratory and will be used for non-destructive 2D examination, identification and reconstruction of archaeological artifacts and organic remains. Examples of radiography applications include the biomechanical and morphometrical analysis of bone, the deposition patterns of enamel, cementum and dentin in teeth, identification of rusted or corroded artifacts, the material composition of earthenware ceramics and mineral inclusions and the characterization of source morphology and inclusions in stone tools.