Skip to content

Laboratories

There are only a few archaeomagnetic laboratories within the UK and none of these can offer a dedicated commercial dating service. It is therefore important to contact them as early as possible to discuss the possibility of visiting the site and the availability of staff to carry out the work.

English Heritage

Paul Linford,

English Heritage
Fort Cumberland
Fort Comberland Road
Eastney
Portsmouth
Hampshire
PO4 9LD

Phone: 02392 856749
Email: Paul.Linford@english-heritage.org.uk
Website: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.001002003006004

University of Bradford

Cathy Batt,

School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences
University of Bradford
Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD7 1DP

Phone: 01274 233533
Email: c.m.batt@bradford.ac.uk or archaeomagnetism@bradford.ac.uk

The Archaeomagnetic Research Group (University of Bradford) offers commercial services for archaeomagnetic directional dating. The disc and tube sampling methods are used with orientation using sun or magnetic compass. The commercial service includes site visits, recording of the feature, sample collection, measurement, a.f. demagnetisation and report writing. We have particular expertise in integrating archaeomagnetic data with other dating methods within complex archaeological stratigraphies. We also manage the 'Magnetic Moments in the Past' database of archaeomagnetic measurements incorporating 765 measurements from 1962 to the present day.

GeoQuest Associates

Mark Noel

Rockside
Dreemskerry
Maughold
Isle of Man
IM7 1BL

Phone: 01624 819364
Email: rockside@manx.net
 
GeoQuest Associates provide a directional magnetic dating service for samples obtained from sites in the British Isles. Sampling is carried out using the minimally destructive button method, with orientation via gyro, sun or magnetic compass. GeoQuest works in conjunction with Museum of London Archaeology in carrying out site visits, context assessment and sampling, with subsequent laboratory processing and analysis in our laboratory on the Isle of Man.

Museum of London Archaeology

Sarah Jones

Museum of London Archaeology
Mortimer Wheeler House
46 Eagle Wharf Road
London
N1 7ED

Phone: 020 7410 2287
Email: moals@museumoflondon.org.uk

The Geomatics team of Museum of London Archaeology collect samples for archaeomagnetic dating, which are processed and dated by Mark Noel, GeoQuest Associates.

University of Lancaster

Mark Hounslow

Centre for Environmental Magnetism and Palaeomagnetism
Geography Department
Lancaster Environmental Centre
Lancaster University
Bailrigg
Lancashire
LA1 5YW

Phone: 01524 510238
Email: m.hounslow@lancaster.ac.uk

The Centre for Environmental Magnetism and Palaeomagnetism provide high resolution and quality archaeomagnetic dating, with specialism in multi-feature sites only. We specialize in dealing with features that are difficult to sample with conventional methods. We can also provide magnetic material characterization for calibrating and modelling large-scale gradiometer 'geophys' surveys.

University of Plymouth

Don Tarling

School of Earth
Ocean and Environmental Sciences
University of Plymouth
Drake Circus
Plymouth
Devon
PL4 8AA

Email: D.Tarling@plymouth.ac.uk

University of Liverpool

John Shaw & Mimi Hill

Earth and Ocean Sciences
University of Liverpool
4 Brownlow Street
Liverpool
L69 3GP

John Shaw phone: 0151 7943463
John Shaw email: Shaw@liverpool.ac.uk
Mimi Hill phone: 01517943460
Mimi Hill email: M.Hill@liverpool.ac.uk
Website: http://www.liv.ac.uk/earth/geomagnetism/index.html

The Liverpool Geomagnetism laboratory offers specialist work in:

  • Archaeointensity determination of unoriented material (pottery sherds, bricks, tiles etc) and oriented material ¿ conventional and / or microwave. The microwave method requires only small 5mm diameter by 3 mm length cores of material.
  • Thermal and AF demagnetisation for determination of declination and inclination
  • Dating using directions and or intensity using SV curves for the UK (Lodge & Holme 2009; Zananiri et al 2006)
  • On site sampling
  • Magnetic and electrical site surveying
  • Magnetic mineralogy characterisation using a Variable Field Translation Balance and susceptibility meters eg to investigate evidence for burning.
  • Authenticity testing