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Archaeomagnetic Research Group

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Archaeomagnetic Research Group

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Archaeomagnetic Research Group

Contents

• Location
• Projects
• Equipment
• Service
• Research

Location

Based in the School of Archaeological, Geographical and Environmental Sciences , University of Bradford , Bradford, UK. Archaeological Sciences has an international reputation for the integration of archaeology and science, including scientific dating methods using the magnetic properties of archaeological material. The premises are located in the Phoenix building.

Projects

Old Scatness Broch and Jarlshof Environs Project, Shetland Isles.

The Old Scatness broch site is a multiperiod settlement focused around a broch tower. The settlement was in continuous occupation for the last 2000 years, characterised by the re-use and re-modelling of the structural remains (Dockrill, 1998, 60) The excavation of the site has recorded over 60 hearth and kiln features. Approximately half of these features have been investigated for archaeomagnetic dating, producing 23 successful dates. OSL and radiocarbon dates are also used for comparison with the archaeomagnetic dates. A good example of theused of integrated dating on the site can be found in (Dockrill, Outram and Batt, 2007).

Myers Wood

This project, between the Huddersfield and District Archaeological Society and the University of Bradford, supported by a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, has produced evidence of a mediaeval industrial site of national, and even international importance.  The remains of a Cistercian monastic iron-making complex have lain undisturbed in woodland to the south of Huddersfield for over 700 years. The latest geophysical, excavation and dating techniques have been used to explore and interpret the site. All stages of metal production have been discovered on the site - charcoal preparation, ore roasting, clay furnaces, slag mounds and, unusually, a smithing hearth where blooms of iron were refined. Dating evidence using archaeomagnetic data from the furnace areas has been reinforced by the many pottery finds.

AARCH - Archaeomagnetic Applications for the Rescue of Cultural Heritage

This is a research training network co-ordinated by Dr. Cathy Batt and funded by the European Commission. It started in 2002 and ran for 4 years. It primarily appointed and trained young researchers within the network, which comprises of 12 laboratories across Europe. The network still works together  on European archaeomagnetic research. Further information is available from the (External) Network website.

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Equipment

Our instruments are housed in a dedicated laboratory with a sample preparation area, which is serviced by academic and technical specialists. We have an array of instruments to measure the magnetic properties of materials including those required to produce archaeomagnetic dates. The Division also has a full range of other analytical facilities, and equipment for geophysical and conventional survey.

Alan using the spinning magnetometer - University of Bradford Archaeomagnetic laboratory

Zoe demagnetising a sample - Univeristy of Bradford Archaeomagnetic laboratory
Photographs courtesy of Alan Powell and Louise Brown

Molspin 'spinner' magnetometer - for the measurement of both natural and laboratory induced remanent magnetisation. Molspin a.f. demagnetiser - for the removal of the viscous component of the natural remanent magnetisation and to assess the stability of magnetisation. (External) www.molspin.com

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Services

• Specialist advice on archaeomagnetic dating and the techniques involved.
• Consultancy service for the archaeomagnetic dating within commercial and research excavations.
• On-site sampling of appropriate features, sample processing and laboratory analysis and a full report interpreting the results

Research

All work undertaken is fully reported on and these reports are suitable for inclusion in site reports or for specialist use. All staff members are involved in research and the development of archaeomagnetic dating. They publish in the academic literature. Recent examples of published work in archaeomagnetic dating include:

Edited Volumes

• Batt, C.M. and Zananiri, I. (in prep.). Archaeomagnetic Applications for the Rescue of Cultural Heritage. Special Issue of Physics and Chemistry of the Earth. (impact factor 0.993)

Chapters in Books

• Clelland, S.J., Batt, C.M. and B. Stern , (submitted 2005). Scientific analysis of steatite: Recent results. In V.E. Turner and A. Forster (ed.) Steatite. Shetland Amenity Trust, Lerwick.
• Dockrill, S. J. and Batt, C. M . (2004). Power over time: an overview of the Old Scatness Broch Excavations. In Atlantic Connection and Adaptations: Economies, Environments and Subsistence in the North Atlantic. Eds. Housley, R. and Coles, G. Oxbow Books, pp. 128-137.
• Peters, C., Church, M. J. and Batt, C. M . (2004). Application of mineral magnetism in Atlantic Scotland archaeology: techniques, magnetic enhancement and the identification of fuel sources. In Atlantic Connection and Adaptations: Economies, Environments and Subsistence in the North Atlantic. Eds. Housley, R. and Coles, G. Oxbow Books, pp. 86-98.
• Dockrill, S. J.; Bond, J. M. and Batt, C.M. (2005). Old Scatness: The First Millennium AD. In Tall Stories? Broch Studies, Past Present and Future, (Ed. Turner, V.), Oxbow Books, Oxford. P. 52-65
• Batt, C. M . (1999). Preliminary investigations into the acquisition of remanence in archaeological sediments. In Palaeomagnetism and Diagenesis of Sediments (Eds. Tarling, D.H. and Turner, P.), Special Publication of the Geological Society of London, 151, 9-19.
• Batt, C. M. (1998). Magnetic moments in the past. In Old Scatness Broch, Shetland: Retrospect and Prospect, (Eds. Nicholson, R. A. and Dockrill, S. J.), University of Bradford/ Shetland Amenity Trust / North Atlantic Biocultural Organisation, pp. 127 - 138.

Academic Journal Papers

• Peters, C., Abrahamsen, N., Voss, O., Batt, C. and McDonnell, G. (submitted 2006). Magnetic Investigations of Iron Age Slags at Yderik, Denmark; Mineral Magnetic Comparison to U.K. Slag. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth Special Issue.
• Suteu, C., Batt, C. and Zananiri, I. (submitted 2006). New developments in archaeomagnetic dating for Romania. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth Special Issue.
• Trapanese, A., Batt, C. and Schnepp, E. (submitted 2006). Sampling and orientation methods in archaeomagnetic dating: a comparison. History cases from Wörterberg and Gams Valley (Austria). Physics and Chemistry of the Earth Special Issue.
• Church, M. J., Peters, C. and Batt, C.M. (2007). Sourcing fire ash on archaeological sites in the Western and Northern Isles of Scotland using mineral magnetism. Geoarchaeology. 22 , 747-774.
• Zananiri, I., Batt, C.M., Tarling, D., Lanos, Ph. and Linford, P (2007). Archaeomagnetic secular variation in the UK during the past 4000 years and its application to archaeomagnetic dating. Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 160 , 97-107. (Impact Factor 2.370)
• Dockrill, S. J., Outram, Z. and Batt, C.M. (2007). Time and Place: a new chronology for the origin of the broch based on the scientific dating programme at the Old Scatness Broch, Shetland. Proceedings of Societies Antiquaries of Scotland. 136 , 89-110.
• Rhodes, E.J., Bronk Ramsey, C., Outram, Z., Batt, C., Willis, L, Dockrill, S. and Bond, J. (2003). Bayesian methods applied to the interpretation of multiple OSL dates: high precision sediment ages from Old Scatness Broch excavations, Shetland Isles. Quaternary Science Reviews. 22 , 1231-1244.
• Powell, A. J., McDonnell, J.G.Batt, C.M. and Vernon, R. W. (2002). An assessment of the magnetic response of an iron-smelting site. Archaeometry , 44 , 651-665.
• Dewar, I., Batt, C.M. and Peters, C. (2002). A mineral magnetic investigation into fuel derived deposits from Old Scatness Broch, Shetland. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 27 , 1343-1348.
• Peters, C. P. and Batt, C. M. (2002). Dating and sourcing fuel ash residues from Cladh Hallan, South Uist, Scotland, using magnetic techniques. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 27, 1349-1353.
• Burbidge, C. I.; Batt, C. M., , Barnet, S. and Dockrill, S. (2001) The potential for dating the Old Scatness Site, Shetland, by optically stimulated luminescence. Archaeometry, 43, 589-596.
• Batt, C.M. and Dockrill, S.J. (1998). Magnetic moments in prehistory: integrating magnetic measurements with other archaeological data from the Scatness multiperiod settlement. Archaeological Prospection, 5 , 217-227
• Batt, C.M. (1998). Where to draw the line? The calibration of archaeomagnetic dates. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth (and Solar System). 23 , 991-995.
• Batt, C.M., Noel, M. and Meng, Z. (1998). Archaeomagnetic studies in the Xi’an area. Archaeometry., 40 , 169-175.
• Batt, C.M. (1997). The British archaeomagnetic calibration curve: an objective treatment. Archaeometry. 39 , 153-168.

REFERENCES

• Dockrill, S.J., 1998. Northern exposure: Phase 1 of the Old Scatness excavations 1995-1998. In Nicholson R.A. and Dockrill, S.J. (eds.) Old Scatness Broch, Shetland: Retospect and Prospect: 59-80.

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