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The AHRC-funded project 'Advancing Access to the UCL Archaeological Reference Collections' supports UCL in enhancing access to its globally significant archaeological collections.
The project ‘Advancing Access to the UCL Archaeological Reference Collections (A3RC) is part of the Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science (RICHeS) programme, funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council through the UKRI Infrastructure Fund.
The A3RC project is led by Kevin MacDonald (Director & Professor of African Archaeology) with Co-Leads, Rhiannon Stevens (Professor of Archaeological Science) and Dorian Fuller (Professor of Archaeobotany) and other Institute of Archaeology colleagues.
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Archaeobotany
The Institute’s archaeobotanical collections are among the largest in the world, with over 18,500 accessions of modern botanical specimens and archaeological plant remains. These collections encompass both cultivated and wild species from five continents, with a particular focus on the Fertile Crescent, Africa, Southwest Asia, and Europe and are crucial for the taxonomic identification of archaeological materials. They provide an unrivalled resource for understanding human adaptations to climate and environmental change during periods before historical records.
Osteology
The Institute’s osteological collections include reference material from modern animals, as well as archaeological remains. The zooarchaeological material includes rare specimens from the Middle East, as well as extensive taphonomic examples. Additionally, the human osteology material houses the largest palaeopathology collection in the UK, which plays a critical role in the study of past diseases, disabilities, and the history of medicine.
Artefacts
The Institute’s artefact collections consist of over 80,000 items, such as ceramics, stone tools, metalwork, figurines, and jewellery from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. These collections include archaeological finds from Palestine, a major teaching and research resource.
Enhancing access
With this award new infrastructure and study spaces, as well as the storage and accessibility of the archaeobotanical, osteological, and artefact collections, will be improved.
Dedicated technical support will enable the Institute to meet the increasing demand from researchers seeking access to these significant collections, enhancing both research excellence and the wider value of these collections, helping them to enable future advances in our understanding of the past and catalysing new collaborative research projects.
Read more about the RICHeS programme launch
Further details about the project will be posted here in due course.
