Tell us about yourself.
I have been a volunteer for the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Derbyshire since November 2016. I am also volunteering with the PAS in Lincolnshire and Shropshire as of November 2016. I completed my PhD in Archaeology at UCL in 2015 as well as having a baby! Since returning from maternity leave and leaving my previous job at the Museum of London I am attempting to gain as much experience with the PAS as I can to hopefully enable me to work for the Scheme one day.
What does your role involve?
Volunteering for the PAS involves me helping to identify objects found by members of the public, photograph and record them on the database under the supervision of Alastair, the Finds Liaison Officer for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. Other duties as a volunteer include posting information about the PAS in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire on social media, attending training as and when required at different venues around the country and assisting at outreach events run through the various Derby Museum sites.
What area of history/archeology are you most interested in?
I have a love for all things archaeological and historical and thoroughly enjoy researching and learning about new subjects, objects and time periods. However, I am most interested in the Iron Age and Roman periods with my PhD research re-examining archaeological evidence of structured deposition from a number of different sites across the UK, specifically looking at possible interpretations of ritual deposition in both watery and dry contexts.
Why did you start working for the PAS?
The PAS combines everything I love about archaeology and heritage: working with finds, research, and meeting with and talking to a wide variety of people about archaeology. As a volunteer I would like to make whatever contribution I can to furthering the understanding and research of archaeology and our own cultural heritage, be it through helping to identify finds, or talking to people at events who would not otherwise have known about the PAS. It is such a fantastic Scheme that anyone can get involved with and because so many people do get involved, what they find contributes to our wider understanding of our past and constantly changes what we think we know and understand about our own history, which I find incredibly exciting.
What do you enjoy most about volunteering for the PAS?
Identifying the finds and researching new finds I have never come across before.
What is the most exciting find from Derbyshire you have recorded so far?
None yet but let me get back to you!
What is your favourite find from Derbyshire that has been recorded on the PAS database and why?
I love the beautiful zoomorphic interlace decoration on this Early Medieval sword pommel mount shown below (record no: WMID-2FF927). The workmanship on this one piece makes you wonder what the rest of the sword looked like.
