What happens when man-made materials in the archaeological context are agents of deterioration themselves?

Prof John Schofield talks to Lindsey about his research in York, England studying the impact of microplastics on archaeological sites and its implications for future studies. The presence of micro and nano-plastics in rainwater means that plastics are omnipresent throughout the planet. As contemporary archaeologists work with sites of the “familiar past” the impact of plastic pollution has to be considered: it’s led to a shift in questioning how their deterioration is going to impact the information gained from in situ sites. They discuss the challenges that cultural heritage professionals face while embarking on new paths of research concerning toxicology.

Resources: