Documentation: The "Other" Artifact

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

An artifact without associated documentation has limited archaeological value. Yet the need or desire for analysts and authors to retain associated documentation beyond the deposit of artifacts commonly results in the failure to transmit this essential part of the collection to the repository where the artifacts live. With the increase of born-digital files, it becomes even more difficult to corral the various types and formats of documentation related to a project for curation, including analysis, email, messaging, or in-person conversations that may include decision-making processes or interpretations that affect a holistic understanding of the project. The hybrid nature of information mandates curation strategy that safeguards both paper and digital data for the future. This paper details how the Illinois State Archaeological Survey is using the recent reassessment and relocation of our 24,000 ft3 collections to a new facility to guide a parallel reassessment of associated project documentation. Our “project close-out” procedure provides a model for addressing gaps in knowledge and organizing site documentation to preserve the archaeological record for future researchers.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39225.0