Organisation: University of Liverpool
Principal Investigator: Joanne Fitton
Investment Overview
John Garstang (1876-1956) was a prolific archaeologist. Today artefacts from his extensive excavations are found across multiple collections. The largest holdings of Garstang’s finds and archives are housed at the University of Liverpool, Garstang Museum. This collection primarily consists of artefacts from ancient Egypt and Sudan and West Asia, alongside artefacts from some of Garstang’s earlier excavations in the United Kingdom. The collection is diverse in the types of objects including coins, scarabs, seals, shabtis, and pottery. In addition to the museum’s collection, the nearby Special Collections and Archives hold John Garstang’s archive, which includes numerous documents relating to his excavations as well as glass plate negatives detailing his fieldwork.
This investment enhances the accessibility and visibility of Garstang’s collections by establishing a comprehensive network of museums and experts, and developing the Garstang Archaeology Portal (GAP), which will digitally reunite objects from Garstang’s excavations for the first time. RICHeS investment has also enabled the Garstang Museum of Archaeology to open up the Garstang Research Centre (GRC), a newly refurbished dedicated space for heritage science research. This facility includes state-of-the-art visualisers, enabling a hybrid approach to research collaboration. Improved storage and security allows researchers to not only work on our collection in the GRC but also bring their own objects to receive specialist support. This collaborative research will enhance the understanding and appreciation of these invaluable artefacts, informing deeper insights into the material composition of artefacts, colonial acquisition practices, and the histories of lost landscapes and cultures.
Explore More
Visit the HSDS Catalogue of Services for information on services available to access.
You can keep up to date with this investment on the Garstang Museum and Research Centre website and Bluesky.
