Conserving a snapshot of the past: Sutton Hoo, Suffolk

Some of the most famous photographs of the1939 excavation of the Sutton Hoo ship burial were taken by two women, Mercie Lack and Barbara Wagstaff (see CA 374). This October, part of Mercie’s personal collection relating to the dig was conserved in front of modern visitors to the site. The collection, which comprises photographs taken by Mercie and Barbara during their visit to the excavations between 8 and 25 August 1939, as well as newspaper clippings covering the discoveries, was recently given to the National Trust (which cares for Sutton Hoo) by Mercie’s great-nephew, Andrew Lack. Its contents help to complete an earlier set of photographs from the archaeological investigations t