Part of the Artefacts and Archives Research Groups

Ceramic Building Material (CBM) is an important type of evidence because it survives in the soil for thousands of years. Even when CBM is broken into pieces it can still tell us something about the past. CBM includes all building materials  made from baked clay, and can be used to identify building methods and provide a date range for the artefact. This information helps to inform our understanding of the people who occupied an archaeological site.

Artefact analysis is a very important part of the post-excavation process that must be carried out before a site report can be written. It can also be a fun social activity and is a way to learn more about archaeological artefacts. Prior experience is not necessary, just a keen interest to learn about archaeological finds processing. We are also keen to expand the group and would welcome anyone with or without experience, but with the enthusiasm to help build a picture of Surrey’s past. We are also keen to encourage people who would be interested in helping to clean and mark finds on excavations.

For further information please contact Sylvia Solarski at sylviasolarski@aol.co.uk.