Science and Heritage Interdisciplinary Research Workshop

British Museum - ISAAC Mobile Laboratory
Workshops

Join the Imaging and Sensing for Archaeology, Art history and Conservation (ISAAC) Lab at a two-day interdisciplinary workshop. This workshop aims to bring together those engaged in the study of heritage from different backgrounds (historians, curators, archaeologists, conservators and heritage scientists) to illustrate how science can address a wide range of research questions related to heritage objects and to foster interdisciplinary collaboration between the participants.

  • From: Thursday 28 March 2019, 10 am
  • To: Friday 29 March 2019, 4 pm
  • Location: Clifton Campus, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS
  • Booking deadline: Friday 22 March 2019, 11.00 pm

Past event

Event details

The Imaging and Sensing for Archaeology, Art history and Conservation (ISAAC) Lab invites you to a two-day interdisciplinary workshop organised in the framework of European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science (E-RIHS). E-RIHS is an initiative that supports research on heritage interpretation, conservation, documentation and management. Cutting-edge tools and services will be provided by cross-disciplinary researchers to users working to advance knowledge about heritage and to devise innovative strategies for its conservation. E-RIHS connects researchers in the humanities and natural sciences and fosters a trans-disciplinary culture of exchange and cooperation.

The aim of this workshop is to bring together those engaged in the study of heritage from different backgrounds (e.g. historians, curators, archaeologists, conservators and heritage scientist) to illustrate how science can address a wide range of research questions related to a variety of heritage objects and to foster interdisciplinary collaboration between the participants.

Each day of the workshop will involve short presentations in the morning; consisting of case studies that illustrate the benefits of the application of heritage science on various types of objects. Followed by an optional hands-on workshop using facilities in ISAAC Lab in the afternoon. The instruments used for the hands-on workshop are all part of the ISAAC Mobile Lab, most of which are used in the case studies shown in the talks. Participation in the hands-on workshop, requires completion of this short form.

The objectives of the workshop are:

  • To present a ‘dialogue’ between the Art & Humanities’ research questions and the response using scientific analysis;
  • To present how a range of analytical methods can assist the investigation of materials composition to inform art history/history, provenance, conservation strategy and storage needs of archaeological, archival and museum objects;
  • To offer the opportunity to see in practice how the scientific analysis of various types of artworks is performed;
  • To provide a deeper understanding of both the principles of operation and the benefits of the use of a series of analytical techniques that a mobile lab, like the ISAAC Mobile Lab, can offer through the examination of various types of cultural heritage objects;
  • To provide an opportunity to experience interdisciplinary collaborative research;
  • To inform the future training strategy for users and providers of E-RIHS facilities.

Prior to the workshop, there will be a one-day event (E-RIHS Day) on the 27 March 2019 disseminating E-RIHS at the city campus of Nottingham Trent University.

Programme

Thursday 28 March 2019 Teaching and Learning building, Lecture Theatre 4
Clifton Campus
09:30 - 10:00 Coffee and Registration
10:00 - 10:15

Welcome
Haida Liang (ISAAC, NTU)

10:15 - 10:45 Heritage Science - a historic perspective
Marika Spring (National Gallery)
10:45 - 11:05 Examination of the Canterbury Roll
Natasha Hodgson (History, NTU) and Sotiria Kogou (ISAAC, NTU)
11:05 - 11:25 Remote sensing analysis of architectural interiors - a study of St. Barnabas Cathedral
Fr Philip McBrien (Diocesan Archivist), Ana Souto (Architecture, NTU) and Yu Li (ISAAC, NTU)
11:25 - 11:40 Ancient Egyptian Faience - materials and techniques
Margaret Read (ISAAC, NTU and British Museum)
11:40 - 12:00 In-situ scientific analysis of rock art
Don O'Meara (Historic England) and Haida Liang (ISAAC, NTU)
12:00 - 12:15 Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for Conservation of Easel Paintings
Marika Spring (National Gallery)
12:15 - 13:15 Lunch*
13:15 - 16:00

Hands-on workshop in the Imaging and Sensing for Archaeology, Art History and Conservation (ISAAC) Lab
Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Centre (ISTeC) building - ISTEC-003

Friday 29 March 2019 John Clare, Lecture Theatre 5
Clifton Campus
10:30 - 11:00 Coffee
11:00 - 11:15 Glass degradation
David Thickett (English Heritage)
11:15 - 11:30 Preventive conservation using Microfade
Capucine Korenberg (British Museum)
11:30 - 11:50 Authentication of South East Asian Quranic Manuscripts
Annabel Gallop (British Library) and Luke Butler (ISAAC, NTU)
11:50 - 12:05 3D Scanning in Cultural Heritage
Paul Bryan (Historic England)
12:05 - 12:20 Nottingham Alabaster Sculpture - from Research to Exhibition
Chris Pickup (Heritage Management/ISAAC, NTU)
12:20 - 13:20 Lunch*
13:20 - 16:00

Hands-on workshop in the Imaging and Sensing for Archaeology, Art History and Conservation (ISAAC) Lab
Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Centre (ISTeC) building - ISTEC-003

* food and drink can be purchased from one of the retail outlets on campus such as the Refectory and the Barista outlets in the Pavilion.

This programme is available to download.

Booking information

Participation is free but registration is required. If you intend to participate in the hands-on workshop, please complete this short form.

Location details

Address:

Clifton Campus
Clifton Lane
 Nottingham
 NG11 8NS

Parking:

Free parking is available. Access via Clifton Campus Main Gate entrance off the A453.

Travel Info:

Further travel information can be found on our website.

Past event

Still need help?

Sotiria Kogou