Cleaning & Logging your finds

Some pottery and flint can be cleaned by being gently washed in water. Metal objects should be kept dry. At most gently remove loose soil from the find. With objects such as coins, do not try to remove corrosion and never polish or apply abrasives. Do not dip metal objects in lemon juice or vinegar as this can destroy the whole coin.

If you apply oil this can extract grit and it is difficult to remove, its benefits are purely cosmetic. Inexperienced cleaning can reduce both the archaeological and the commercial value of your finds.

Here we have 4 examples of how you can log your finds.

Gold 1/2 noble
Seal Matrix
Harold II Penny
Roman Plate Brooch