Mercian Archaeological Services: Post-Fieldwork Training School at King’s Clipstone

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Location: King’s Clipstone, Nottinghamshire

Price: £450 per person, or £350 per student (in full time education 18 and under, Student NUS card holder or international equivalent*, Distance Learning etc)

Dates: 20th – 24th October 2025

*Please note accommodation is not provided*

This training school is designed to provide training and experience in various aspects of the post excavation process. All tuition and training will be carried out under the supervision of experienced tutors, with finds training lead by Mercian’s ceramic specialist David Budge.

The course is designed to give delegates an understanding of what is involved in the post excavation process for finds, ranging from initial cleaning and processing of the finds as they come out of the ground, through some of the specialist analysis that finds are subject to, to illustration and preparation of the finds for publication.

Participants will gain experience of handling finds and developing the ability to look at artefacts critically with a view to recognising the clues that give evidence of what they were used for and that can help to identify them.

Training in archaeological drawing techniques, including preparing plans and /or sections for publication, and working with site archives to create site matrices will also be provided, as well as learning about archaeological GIS (Geographic Information Systems) including working with survey data, preparing maps, working with historic mapping, creating and working with 3D models. The 2025 Post-fieldwork training school is tailored towards enabling attendees to fulfil the requirements of the Archaeological Skills Passport.

All training will take place at the Tin Tabernacle, King John’s Palace, Kings Clipstone, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, England.

*Please note that while aspects of this course will be in-depth, attendance on the course will not qualify delegates to work as finds specialists or archaeological illustrators; no matter how high the quality of tuition a week long course cannot substitute for the years of experience, training and knowledge required.

More information: www.mercian-as.co.uk/postexcavation_fieldschool.html