From earliest times people have used hard skeletal tissues, such as bone, antler, ivory, horn, baleen (whalebone) and tortoiseshell, as raw material to create almost everything from simple tools to subtle and evocative works of art. Working these raw materials can greatly change their appearance and decay processes can render them almost unrecognisable. Today animal hard tissues have almost entirely been replaced as raw material for artefacts by metallic alloys and synthetic plastics, and wildlife conservation concerns have made some unavailable and unacceptable. With the passing of these raw materials, familiarity with their characteristics and properties has been lost, posing a challenge for those who work with historic and prehistoric artefacts, and to the detection of illegally trafficked, CITES protected materials. The correct identification of these materials is, however, fundamental to understanding the cultural significance, preservation needs and authenticity of these objects. Research is already in hand to refine and develop identification protocols through the collation, evaluation and validation of visual criteria and analytical techniques. This work has made great strides in improving our confidence in recognising, for instance, objects made in different species of ivory or in separating real tortoiseshell from fakes in horn or plastic. Using low-power microscopy, this can be done without the need to take disfiguring samples and at no risk to the object, by revealing the materials structure and patterns of degradation. However, like wood, these are complex 3D materials that can look and behave entirely differently depending on how they are worked and which aspects are revealed in the surfaces of an object. To interpret the evidence correctly it is necessary to understand the orientation of the object in terms of the material's natural structure. This is particularly difficult when similarly worked specimens of these materials are not available for comparison with the object being studied. Even if some of these raw materials, such as rhino horn, were available, it would be illegal (and questionable ethically) to prepare worked specimens. Using printed or web resources, illustrated by 2D diagrams and photographs to convey the detail of these complex structures, success largely relies on the ability of the user to think in 3D, and will not always lead to the correct identification. To overcome these problems, this project will develop a web-based resource for the 3D visualisation of the structures of these animal tissues. At its core will be a fully-rotatable 3D photo-realistic image of each raw material, a 3D diagram of its structure and 3D X-rays (CT scans) revealing the internal shape and structure. Zooming-in, the surface of the material can be explored at different scales with 'hot-spots' linking to photographs at a range of magnifications showing the structures revealed when it is cut in different directions, worked in different ways, fractured, aged or degraded. Once the correct material has been identified, it will be possible to orientate images of the object against the framework of the 3D model by matching the features revealed on the surface of an object with those indicated in the model. This will aid understanding of how the raw material was utilised and provide estimates of the size of the original tissue used, such as the minimum dimensions of the elephant tusk required to provide the material for a sculpture. Supported by on-line tutorials, this interactive visualisation resource will not only improve the accuracy of materials identification but will be an invaluable tool for researchers exploring the way that these raw materials have been used in the manufacture of artefacts, whether functional tools, devotional objects or fine art, across all time periods and geographical zones.

This project will create an interdisciplinary network of scholars and heritage professionals who share interests in Britain and Ireland's two greatest Viking towns; York and Dublin. It will foster and enhance interdisciplinary, international collaborative research, heritage management practice, public outreach and creative enterprise. Since the 1970s, a new appreciation of the role of towns, urbanisation and trade has transformed our understanding of the Viking Age from Scandinavia to Russia, as well as in Britain and Ireland. Although international trading and manufacturing sites played crucially important economic, political and social roles, they were also relatively rare - no more than a dozen are known from across the Viking world. In this context, Dublin and York - by far the best documented and best excavated urban centres in the Viking West - are of exceptional international importance. Contemporary sources are relatively well-studied, and half a century of urban excavations has produced exceptional evidence. The towns constitute vital resources for archaeologists and heritage professionals alike, but with some exceptions, communication and collaboration between specialists and practitioners, and between the two modern cities, has been limited. This lack of communication between contemporary professionals is particularly significant because the political relationship between Viking York and Dublin was once very close: they shared a ruling dynasty, the 'grandsons of Ivarr', for a significant period in the 9th and 10th centuries. However, the impact of this political link on the social and economic development of the two towns is under-researched and largely unrecognised by the public. Our understanding of life in Viking-Age York and Dublin has been transformed by archaeological research, but this has developed in subtly different ways in each city, and has not always informed discussions of broader historical narratives. New scientific methods and interpretative models offer huge potential for future research, and new systems of data management and public outreach offer both challenges and opportunities. Our network will bring together academics, field archaeologists, artefact specialists, heritage professionals, and public historians and archaeologists to explore the relationship between the two towns in this seminal period, comparing and contrasting the relationships between the living cities and their Viking heritage. How close - or different - is the evidence they have produced? How can new research techniques inform our understanding of systems of trade, manufacturing and economy? Does this transform long-standing models of the cities' development? Can the research and management experiences of each city inform best practice? Can the cities benefit from shared approaches to new digital technologies? And how can new discoveries best be communicated to the general public? Our workshops will provide a forum to plan future activity, and an authentic platform for meaningful public engagement. Our key aims are to re-examine the evidence in detail, to situate this evidence in its broader context, and to consider the potential for future collaboration. To this end, we will organise three workshops. The first, 'New Evidence' (York Spring 2021) will provide a forum for new research; the second 'New Approaches (Dublin Autumn 2021) will challenge existing models of urban development; and the third, 'New Engagements' (Dublin Spring 2022) will examine the relationship between the modern cities and their Viking past. A strategy document will be produced, and the results will be disseminated in a range of media. By stimulating discussion between key stakeholders and knowledge-makers, this project will reinvigorate the study of both Viking towns, draw fresh attention to the connections between them, reengage with debates on Viking-Age urbanism, and lay the groundwork for future research and outreach.

Heritage science sits at the interface between humanities and science disciplines. It has the potential to inform contemporary societies of the impacts and implications of decision-making in the past, exploring the lives and deep time experiences of past human groups. It can also help us understand challenges of the future, such as legacy pollutants and climate change. As researchers in a naturally interdisciplinary field, Heritage Scientists are often dispersed, and opportunities can be limited. The Nottingham Heritage Science Gateway (NHSG) will be a centre of expertise in sample preparation and scientific analysis for a range of heritage materials, focussing on best practice workflows, new standards and innovative capabilities, and making these widely accessible. The range and complexities of heritage materials, recovery conditions, methods of investigation and potential harms and contaminants mean that sampling and analysis for heritage science require specialist skills, expert knowledge, a variety of dedicated equipment and sometimes highly controlled environmental conditions. Sampling can be intricate, time consuming and require variable methodologies depending on materials and preservation conditions. The dispersed nature of current expertise and the costs associated with analysis means that access is often prohibitive for many organisations and groups, and outcomes may be disappointing or problematic if analyses are attempted without the correct procedures in place. The NHSG will offer access to a range of facilities as part of an existing and developing interdisciplinary network of heritage science capabilities and capacities across the University of Nottingham, known as the N-MESH labs: the Nottingham Materials and Environment Science and Heritage Laboratories. As part of this development, the NHSG will allow the creation of a new clean lab facility, specifically designed to limit airborne contaminants and control environmental conditions and employ a Technician that is dedicated to developing and providing access to heritage science capabilities across the University of Nottingham.

This programme aims to sustain longer-standing collaborations between UoN researchers with non-academic historians and archaeologists, build on recently-launched projects, and foster the emergence of new community groups researching their own heritage. The distinctive features of the qualities of the programme include the cross-fertilization between community archaeology and community history; the long run of expertise offered by academics involved from Roman times to the present; the combination of a regional focus with wider connections beyond the region; and the depth of experience working with community groups offered by senior and early career researchers in the team. The programme will benefit from strong institutional support from the UoN including the Centre for Advanced Studies, the University Museum and the Community Partnerships team. It will also draw on the UoN's non-HEI partners including Nottingham City Museums and Galleries, Nottinghamshire Archives, Durban House (Broxtowe Borough Council), National Trust, Norfolk Museum Service, Derbyshire VCH Trust, Southwell Town Council, and York Archaeological Trust/Trent & Peak Archaeology. The proposed programme will be delivered by a team of academics involved in a portfolio of flagship projects involving community-based research in local history and archaeology. These include: 1. Caistor Roman Town project, running since 2008 (Bowden): volunteer groups undertake large sections of the project's archaeological field work and finds processing. 2. Southwell archaeology project: established in 2011 (King, Bowden and others), co-designed with Southwell Community Archaeology Group; distinctive for its use of the town and environs as a laboratory for examining settlement in the context of the written record. 3. Southwell Workhouse (Badcock, Carter, Newman) collaboration between UoN and National Trust established 2011: current project includes work with volunteers in Southwell Workhouse Research Group collating data on Poor Law history from 19c newspapers. 4. Victoria County History Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire (Riden): local groups (three in Derbyshire, one in Notts) work with guidance and support of tutor on source material for their chosen parish and co-draft text suitable for publication on the VCH website. 5. Coalmining heritage (Amos): new project with Bilsthorpe heritage society and other ex-miners' groups seeks to document the 'end of an industry' and its impact on mining communities. 6. Raleigh and Player's projects (Gaunt, Harvey): ongoing projects involving former workforces of Nottingham manufacturers that have shut down or drastically cut production. Building on these projects, the content of the activities taking place between February and November 2012 will entail: i) Project team liaison with HLF representative and NCCPE ii) Launch events targeting UoN academics, raising profile of existing projects and demonstrating benefits of community research partnerships iii) Incentivizing additional activities through the Challenge Fund as a resource for UoN academics to pitch ideas for projects involving existing community groups that could extend existing research and co-design HLF grants: up to £500 per project iv) Roadshow events on 'Writing Our History' and 'Digging Our Past' including workshop, training and taster sessions to enable volunteers to present work and acquire new skills, attract new recruits, and broker new links between academics and volunteers v) Showcase and Project development day where Challenge Fund pilot projects presented and HLF bids mentored vi) Follow-up workshops for HLF-funded and unfunded projects looking to future plans. The benefits of the programme will be the enhancement of existing community-based research, the fostering of new community groups and the co-design of research bids for HLF funding. In the longer term, the programme will build new capacity for academic engagement with volunteer researchers.

The study of ancient biomolecules (DNA, proteins, lipids) has revolutionised our understanding of the past and is one of the fastest growing areas of heritage science (HS). The UK is world-leading in this area and the University of York's BioArCh research centre has spearheaded the innovation and application of molecular methods to archaeological remains and museum specimens for two decades. Working with partners has been key to our success. We have a long history of offering services to archaeological units, museums and academic institutions, however, the major challenge is that as biomolecular methods become more routinely applied, demand for access has never been higher, vastly surpassing what we can offer. Our vision is to dramatically increase the UK's biomolecular archaeology capacity by expanding our facilities and automating workflows to meet current and future demands of the HS community. We require infrastructure investment to (i) expand our clean rooms, a key requirement for avoiding modern contamination; (ii) automate laboratory procedures, and (iii) enhance our sample tracking, data management and reporting systems; enabling us to scale up to meet future demand. Working with RICHeS headquarters, we intend to offer a catalogue of services to encompass the analysis of proteins, DNA, isotopes and lipids from archaeological remains. To reach new audiences and enable access, we will publicise our services by creating short videos highlighting potential applications, offer online presentations direct to end-users and train English Heritage (EH) and Historic Environment Scotland (HES) science advisors. Additionally, we wish to invest in new and emerging transformative techniques so they can be offered to the heritage science community, drawing upon our internationally recognised research and the University's Centre of Excellence in Mass Spectrometry (CoEMS). These include sex determination through faster analysis of tooth enamel proteins, a rapid method for the taxonomic identification of lipids associated with artefacts, and detailed identification of proteins in mineralised deposits from artefacts and dental calculus. Nationally, capacity for biomolecular analysis is dispersed across academic institutions and some museums with IRO status, e.g. the British Museum (BM) and Natural History Museum (NHM). Demand for access is high across the sector, but facilities in these organisations are predominantly consigned to externally-funded research projects or research on their own collections, with little further capacity. Following Brexit, this lack of capacity has been exacerbated by uncertainty and administrative obstacles for collaborations with leading laboratories across Europe, further strengthening the need for a national facility. It is also notable that the north of the UK is less well provisioned for these advanced scientific approaches than London and the south. At BioArCh, we have the unique advantage of the expertise to offer a range of services, encompassing lipids, isotopes, DNA and proteins, in a single facility with academic leads in all these research areas. The facility is hosted by Archaeology but has members of staff in Chemistry as well as strong cooperation with Biology and access to CoEMS. Enabling enhanced participation with public and commercial organisations will advance the discipline by rolling out applications to a diverse range of samples and contexts, with results archived as open access so they can be re-used by the community. Capitalising on our already world-leading research base, we want to deliver the step change that will make biomolecular archaeology a routine analysis for the HS community.