North East Material Culture Analytical Suite (NEMCAS)

NEMCAS (North East Material Culture Analytical Suite) is the umbrella for our AHRC RICHeS facility, which provides access to advanced analytical tools for the heritage science sector.

Services

Earthslides

Earthslides is a state-of-the-art thin section facility that produces thin sections of soils, sediments and artefacts. It is equipped with a Logitech GTS1 cut off and trim saw, and Brot lapping instruments capable of producing large format slides up to 15x7 cm. We also host an extensive collection of thin sections from archaeological sites from around the world, including Çatalhöyük, Paisley Caves, etc. and provide training and analysis for thin section micromorphology research. Earthslides integrates closely with our XR-CT facility for 3D imaging.

XR-CT

Our XR-CT facility prioritises humanities and social science led research, offering access for the GLAM sector through RICHeS Access fund. We also collaborate with a wide range of users in biosciences, engineering and earth sciences. XR-CT is a non-destructive method used to visaulise and quantify the internal structure of objects.

Our instruments include a Bruker SkyScan 1273 micro-CT with a large sample chamber capable of accommodating samples 300 x 500 mm. Our XR-CT facility integrates closely with the Earthslides thin section lab, for an efficient workflow combining 2D and 3D imaging. The XR-CT lab is situated adjacent to our computing lab with a suite of high-performance computers to enable users to work with CT data. Micro-CT captures a series of 2D planar X-ray images that are reconstructed into 3D models using sophisticated software.

Our Experts

Our experts are supported by a team of specialist technicians and research students.

Dr Lisa-Marie Shillito

Research interests

• Human-environment interactions
• Geoarchaeology
• Sediment micromorphology and XR-CT
• Coprolite analysis in archaeology and palaeoecology
• Phytolith analysis

Staff profile for Dr Lisa-Marie Shillito

Professor John Wainwright

Research Interests

• Modelling of human-environment interactions using agent-based models and other interdisciplinary approaches
• Geomorphology and geoarchaeology of arid, semi-arid and Mediterranean regions
• Processes of overland flow and soil erosion
• Links between hydrological, geomorphological and ecological processes (ecohydrology and ecogeomorphology)
• Laboratory modelling of hydrological and geomorphic processes
• Computer modelling of hydrological and geomorphic processes
• Theoretical geomorphology

Staff profile for Professor John Wainwright

Prof. John Wainwright Blog