Archaeology might seem like the safest and most rewarding job in the world. Dig up some dirt, brush it off some artefacts, and claim the glory when you’ve found precious relics from days gone by.

While archaeology has a great deal of glory and excitement, there can also be a great deal of asbestos! Below, you can learn about how asbestos can be a risk in archaeology and what archaeologists can do about it.

How Is Asbestos a Risk In Archaeology?

You might assume that the only risks in archaeology relate to moving dirt in search of artefacts. However, asbestos can be a risk in archaeology because it is often buried in the ground.

Deliberate burial in unauthorised areas, while illegal, is not unheard of. There is no record of unauthorised burial, so archaeologists might only encounter it by accident when digging. They are not typically expecting it, which means they aren’t adequately prepared for it. As a result, archaeologists can face asbestos exposure.

Most things buried in the ground rot and break down. Asbestos is no exception to the rule. Broken-down asbestos is known as friable asbestos, which means it’s releasing small fibres into the air. When breathed in, these can put you at risk of potentially fatal diseases in later life, such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.

Sometimes, it’s not even deliberate asbestos burial that archaeologists face. Asbestos exposure can be a genuine reality in parts of the world where it’s not uncommon to find stone age artefacts. It’s believed that prehistoric people once used asbestos to strengthen their ceramic pottery. While reasonably safe when in excellent condition within other materials, it can be a hazard once broken in its friable form.

How Archaeologists Deal With Asbestos

How archaeologists deal with asbestos can depend on the circumstances. If they know it’s present, they can take plenty of precautions to keep themselves and others safe. An example of that was when archaeologists were invited to investigate the archaeology of a Christchurch site. That particular site had asbestos ground contamination. 

The project was exciting since the site was in Christchurch’s central city, where early European settlement was known to have occurred. The archaelogists also knew they might make some exciting discoveries since archaeological materials had been found nearby in the past.

Knowing the site was contaminated with large-scale asbestos disturbance and other soil contaminants, the team had to use full protective gear. They wore protective suits from head to toe, gloves, gumboots, and respirators.

Due to the circumstances, they also weren’t able to safely decontaminate materials in their own lab. The presence of asbestos meant they would need a form of air control and a way to dispose of any dangerous contaminants.

This meant they had to clean all historically relevant artefacts on site – all 5,000 of them. They had teams of two with an iPad and camera, sorting, analysing, and photographing artefacts. Anything they could safely clean on-site was taken with them. If they couldn’t clean something on site, they disposed of it there. Many glass bottles were left behind as a result.

Their well-thought-out process meant they were able to recover a great deal of exciting artefacts. Among them were clay pipes, ceramics, metal artefacts, leather shoes, and textiles.

The Challenges of Working On An Asbestos-Contaminated Site

As exciting as it can be to work on a site of historical significance, archaeologists face their fair share of challenges. When asbestos is present, they must combat the following situations:

• Struggles with using a touch screen when wearing gloves

• Miscommunication and mis-transcriptions due to respirators muffling voices

• Protective suits aren’t made with archaeology in mind – they can tear

• Having to analyse and clean artefacts on-site when archaeology labs lack the required safety measures when working with asbestos

What Does Asbestos Look Like?

Archaeologists are used to identifying ceramics, coins, pottery, and other ancient artefacts. They aren’t typically in the business of identifying asbestos. However, knowing what it looks like might be the difference between accidental exposure and staying at a safe distance.

While all asbestos-containing materials are different, archaeologists in the UK have said that anything that looks a bit cardboard-like should be avoided. If it doesn’t look archaeological, such as ceramic or brick, there’s a chance it might be asbestos.

If the asbestos is broken in the ground, you might also notice fibres. The grey color of the material can also be a dead giveaway!

Call Asbestos Experts for All Asbestos Tasks

Asbestos removal teams are often called to homes or businesses to remove asbestos, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help on an archaeological site! If you’ve uncovered asbestos during an archaeological dig, contact asbestos removalists for help. Cover the potential asbestos material with a plastic sheet, clear the area, and wait for help to arrive.