Organisation: Durham University
Principal investigator: Lisa-Marie Shillito
Investment Overview
NEMCAS (North East Material Culture Analytical Suite) provides researchers across the UK with specialist sample preparation, access to world-leading expertise in archaeological and heritage materials and conservation. The facility offers a wide range of analytical tools, including XR-CT, X-ray radiography, SEM-EDS, Keyence digital microscopy, micro-XRF and FTIR, alongside soil and sediment micromorphology and petrography. The team supports research from project design and method development through to analysis and interpretation, enabling complementary techniques and expertise to be combined in integrated workflows.
RICHeS investment has transformed NEMCAS from dispersed specialist capabilities into an integrated, accessible research facility, establishing new capabilities in XR-CT and soil and sediment micromorphology and integrating these with complementary chemical characterisation techniques. Dedicated technical support enables advanced imaging, microscopy and chemical analysis to be combined from project design through to interpretation. The team are now able to work with and support a much wider range of users, supporting innovative research on a wide range of materials from medieval manuscripts to ancient Greek ceramics, to prehistoric soils and sediments. Bringing together complementary analytical techniques and specialist expertise enables researchers to address complex questions, advancing knowledge of object composition, ancient technologies and environmental contexts.
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Visit the HSDS Catalogue of Services for information on services available to access.
You can keep up to date with this investment on the NEMCAS webpage and LinkedIn.