diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/lint.yml b/.gitea/workflows/lint.yml
index 955e39c..2a4c4e3 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/lint.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/lint.yml
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ jobs:
               Invoke-ScriptAnalyzer -Path $_ -Recurse -Settings $settings -Severity Error,Warning
             }
           }
+          # scripts/archived/ holds frozen .ps1 superseded by the Python CLI
+          # (kept for history only) — exempt from lint.
+          $results = $results | Where-Object { $_.ScriptPath -notmatch '[\\/]archived[\\/]' }
 
           if ($results) {
             $results | Format-Table -AutoSize
diff --git a/scripts/Cleanup-OrphanedBuildVMs.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Cleanup-OrphanedBuildVMs.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Cleanup-OrphanedBuildVMs.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Cleanup-OrphanedBuildVMs.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/Get-BuildArtifacts.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Get-BuildArtifacts.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Get-BuildArtifacts.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Get-BuildArtifacts.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/Get-CIJobSummary.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Get-CIJobSummary.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Get-CIJobSummary.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Get-CIJobSummary.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/Invoke-CIJob.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Invoke-CIJob.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Invoke-CIJob.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Invoke-CIJob.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/Invoke-RemoteBuild.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Invoke-RemoteBuild.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Invoke-RemoteBuild.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Invoke-RemoteBuild.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/New-BuildVM.ps1 b/scripts/archived/New-BuildVM.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/New-BuildVM.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/New-BuildVM.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/archived/README.md b/scripts/archived/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fdf17fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/archived/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# Archived PowerShell scripts
+
+These `.ps1` files are **frozen** and no longer part of the live pipeline. They
+are kept for history and reference only. Do not call them and do not extend
+them — the production entry point is the Python orchestrator (`ci ...` /
+`python -m ci_orchestrator`).
+
+They are exempt from PSScriptAnalyzer lint (see `.gitea/workflows/lint.yml`).
+
+## Why archived
+
+**Pure shims** — these only forwarded their arguments to the Python CLI. The
+live Gitea composite action (`.gitea/actions/local-ci-build/action.yml`) now
+invokes `python -m ci_orchestrator job` directly, so the shims have no caller.
+
+| Archived shim | Python replacement |
+|---------------|--------------------|
+| `Invoke-CIJob.ps1` | `ci job` |
+| `New-BuildVM.ps1` | `ci vm new` |
+| `Remove-BuildVM.ps1` | `ci vm remove` |
+| `Cleanup-OrphanedBuildVMs.ps1` | `ci vm cleanup` |
+| `Wait-VMReady.ps1` | `ci wait-ready` |
+| `Invoke-RemoteBuild.ps1` | `ci build run` |
+| `Get-BuildArtifacts.ps1` | `ci artifacts collect` |
+| `Watch-DiskSpace.ps1` | `ci monitor disk` |
+| `Watch-RunnerHealth.ps1` | `ci monitor runner` |
+| `Get-CIJobSummary.ps1` | `ci report job` |
+
+**Phase C host tooling** — real PowerShell logic that ran on the Linux host via
+`pwsh`, now reimplemented natively in Python so the Linux host needs no pwsh.
+
+| Archived script | Python replacement |
+|-----------------|--------------------|
+| `Start-BurnInTest.ps1` | `ci bench run` |
+| `Start-BurnInTest-Linux.ps1` | `ci bench run` |
+| `Test-CapacityBurnIn.ps1` | `ci bench run` / `ci bench measure` |
+| `Test-Smoke.ps1` | `ci smoke run` |
+| `Validate-HostState.ps1` | `ci validate host` |
+| `Set-CIGuestCredential.ps1` | `ci creds set` |
diff --git a/scripts/Remove-BuildVM.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Remove-BuildVM.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Remove-BuildVM.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Remove-BuildVM.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/Set-CIGuestCredential.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Set-CIGuestCredential.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Set-CIGuestCredential.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Set-CIGuestCredential.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/Start-BurnInTest-Linux.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Start-BurnInTest-Linux.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Start-BurnInTest-Linux.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Start-BurnInTest-Linux.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/Start-BurnInTest.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Start-BurnInTest.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Start-BurnInTest.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Start-BurnInTest.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/Test-CapacityBurnIn.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Test-CapacityBurnIn.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Test-CapacityBurnIn.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Test-CapacityBurnIn.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/Test-Smoke.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Test-Smoke.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Test-Smoke.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Test-Smoke.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/Validate-HostState.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Validate-HostState.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Validate-HostState.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Validate-HostState.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/Wait-VMReady.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Wait-VMReady.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Wait-VMReady.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Wait-VMReady.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/Watch-DiskSpace.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Watch-DiskSpace.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Watch-DiskSpace.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Watch-DiskSpace.ps1
diff --git a/scripts/Watch-RunnerHealth.ps1 b/scripts/archived/Watch-RunnerHealth.ps1
similarity index 100%
rename from scripts/Watch-RunnerHealth.ps1
rename to scripts/archived/Watch-RunnerHealth.ps1