Sustainable Futures
Teesside University’s National Horizons Centre (NHC) is working with the Vindolanda Charitable Trust to investigate the impact of climate change on archaeological sites through the study of a unique preservative compound, vivianite. This collaborative research aims to address the challenges of organic artefact degradation and preservation by implementing innovative environmental monitoring systems.
The Vindolanda archaeological site faces significant preservation challenges due to climate change. The project began by examining the preservative compound vivianite and monitoring chemical degradation in artefacts. These conditions, exacerbated by climate change, pose a threat to the long-term preservation of organic materials, such as leather and wood, commonly found at Roman archaeological sites.
The NHC has provided access to world-class laboratories, enabling researchers to analyse chemical changes in organic artefacts and develop preservation strategies. Environmental monitoring systems, installed for the first time at an archaeological site in the UK, track temperature and chemical shifts. The team, led by Associate Professor Taylor, is working on species determination for leather artefacts and exploring degradation patterns across Roman frontier sites, contributing valuable data on climate change impacts.
This pioneering environmental monitoring project enhances understanding of how climate change affects archaeological sites. The research informs new preservation techniques, protecting artefacts and enabling future generations to study them. The collaboration will help shape policies for managing and safeguarding other historically significant sites across the UK and advancing archaeological conservation.
