Wellcome
The project ‘A Taste of Hard Work’, funded by Wellcome Trust, aims to elucidate the potential of ancient tartar to reveal exposure to a variety of respiratory irritants and their links to health in past societies by unlocking the signature of inhaled/ingested occupational debris and pollutants generated during crafting.
The project will apply state-of-the-art microscopic methods in Archaeology and Physics, and working both with experimental archaeology and ancient skeletal material.
RESEARCH
Many traditional crafts, both today and in the past, produce copious amounts of occupational dust, which can impact the respiratory health of the crafter. By applying state-of-the-art microscopic methods in Archaeology and Physics This cross-disciplinary research projects aims to elucidate the potential of ancient tartar (mineralised dental plaque) to reveal exposure to a variety of respiratory irritants and their links to health in past societies.The project aims to unlock potential signatures of inhaled/ingested occupational debris and pollutants generated during crafting. Sciences, and working both with experimental archaeology and ancient skeletal remains, the project aims to critically assess how micro-debris in calculus can be linked to other archaeological parameters to elucidate the involvement of ancient individuals in craft activities and their link to health. The project also aims to expand our understanding of air pollutant exposures associated with traditional craft production, often carried out within developing societies as a means of poverty alleviation.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
Our project has been awarded a Wellcome Trust Research Enrichment Grant for public outreach. We have events, public talks and exhibition as well as a novel children outreach programme. Please visit our outreach page for more information about it > learn more
The Project benefits of the following 3 key Institutions and Facilities
York Experimental Archaeology Research (YEAR ) Centre
an outdoor facilities for experimental Archaeology with a variety of laboratories nearby
York JEOL Nanocentre,
The Nanocentre hosts high resolution Scanning Electron Microscopes, which will be emoplyed in the project to imagine and identify remains to nanoscale
Stockholm Environment Institute
a world leading Centre for the Study of Climate and Environment
Introducing the “Ancient Dust Busters “
This is the first blog from the Ancient Dust Busters, part of our children outreach programme. Who are the Ancient Dust Busters? A word about
A visit to Padua
The Ancient city of Padua, in Roman times Patavium, has been an important centre for the craft and trade of wool and wool products.
