Volunteers give prized finds a good scrub (From thisisoxfordshire)

Volunteers give prized finds a good scrub

9:30am Saturday 2nd February 2013 in News

POTTERY dating back to the 15th century and pigs’ teeth were among the items cleaned by a team of volunteers.

The finds were discovered at the Minchery Farm Paddock excavations, which took place in last year at the site next to Oxford’s Kassam Stadium which used to be a nunnery.

Seven volunteers at Littlemore Village Hall spent yesterday cleaning a handful of the thousands of finds unearthed during the Archaeology of East Oxford project (Archeox) excavations.

These included a tray of animal bones and teeth.

Jo Robinson, 25, of the East Oxford Project, said: “All the finds after excavation have to be washed, then sorted and sent to experts. We have got to get all the bags out of the shed and sort them. It is a big job.”

About 30 cleaning sessions have already taken place, with between four and 15 volunteers at a time.

Volunteer and grandmother-of-two Christine Martin – pictured above right with Kay Gibbons – spent about four hours cleaning the finds.

The Rose Hill 64-year-old said: “It is interesting seeing all the different things from years ago.”

Ms Robinson added: “Everyone thinks the excavation is the main process of a dig, but post-excavation takes a lot longer.”