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Page References

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GUIDANCE for Archaeological Archiving
GUIDANCE for Archaeological Archiving

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The curator of the recipient repository/repositories should be involved in the project from the planning stage and the project should follow the repository’s deposition guidance from the outset in order that preparation for transfer will be easy (see [STANDARDS for archaeological archiving] Chapter 3). The following should be standard for any submission:
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*The project archive should be accompanied by a project summary and overall contents list.
*All parts of the archive should be fully indexed and ordered, and the archive should contain a master index to its component parts.
*All parts of the project documentary and material archive should carry the project ID and classification information (object, photo, context number etc)
*Project documentation, such as recording systems and techniques, selection and sampling strategies, project designs, recording manuals etc should accompany the archive.
*All digital files should be ordered in a clear directory structure and employ folder and file naming conventions which aid retrieval of information. The metadata and metadata policy for the digital archive should accompany the archive.
*The digital archive should be virus free on transfer and a copy of the archive should be retained until successful transfer is assured.
*The material and documentary archive should be packaged in materials and boxes suitable for long term preservation in storage in accordance with national, regional, local or repository standards and in sizes as specified by the repository.
*Where appropriate, material objects (finds) should be cleaned before being put into storage. Any cleaning should have been undertaken by or after consultation with a conservator-restorer and in accordance with any national, regional, local or specialist guidelines.
*Prior to long term storage any wet or damp objects (finds) should have received the appropriate conservation treatment. Wet or damp objects should have been dried out in a controlled way, with the exception of metal from wet contexts. Artefacts which have dried out must not be re-hydrated.
*Finds selected for x-radiography, either for identification purposes or during the conservation process, should be x-rayed prior to long term storage and the associated x-ray records (which should be stored with the digital/photographic/paper archive as appropriate) should be fully cross referenced to the objects.
*The material (finds) archive should be ordered according to its material type, packing and storage requirements. Different types of objects, such as pottery and animal bone, should be kept separate.
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!!4. CARE AND CURATION OF THE ARCHIVE
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Although this section appears after those on planning, data gathering and analysis and report writing, it should be made clear that care of the archive components should actually begin to take place as soon as any data is created or material collected and continue on throughout the project; it is not something which should only take place once the archive has been deposited at the end.
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The project team should ensure that all elements of the archive are maintained to the best standards possible throughout the lifecycle of the project. (See [STANDARDS for archaeological archiving] Chapter 3).
Therefore this section should be read as applying to every stage of a project up to and including permanent storage of the archive. As such it has been necessary to target the advice to different situations identified for the purpose of this guidance as:
__Active use__: applies to when the project team members including conservator-restorers and specialists are actively working on project data and archaeological materials.
__No longer in active use__: applies to when some or all parts of the project have been completed and the use of some or all items from the documentary and/or material archive is finished, but the project archive has not been deposited into a repository for long term curation.
__Temporary storage__: applies to the storage of documentary and material archive components after the archive has been compiled for transfer, and project work is thus completed, but before it has been deposited with a repository for long term curation.
__Long term curation__: applies to the long term care and management of an archaeological collection in a repository.
!4.1. Care of documentary and material archive components in active use
*During data gathering, analysis and report writing, archive components in active use must be maintained in the best conditions possible, and every effort must be made to ensure that the risks of damage, deterioration, fading, damp, theft and loss are minimised.
*Whilst in general use by project teams and specialists, all documentary and material archive should be handled with due care and attention. Wherever possible both material and documentary archives should be protected in the appropriate storage boxes, sleeves or cabinets. Digital data should be subject to internationally, nationally, regionally or locally recognised information technology management procedures.
*Appropriate storage conditions for all elements of the documentary and material (finds) archive must be maintained throughout the phase of active use. It is important, for instance, to recognise that conserved and un-conserved objects may require different environments.
!4.2. Care of documentary and material archive components no longer in active use
Once digital data are no longer in active use a system of regular back ups along with good data management housekeeping may be no longer enough to protect the data, especially in cases where transfer to a digital repository can take a number of years. Technological change can be rapid and the physical media on which data are stored are not permanent. What went into storage may quickly become obsolete and unreadable. Therefore this Guide recommends the preservation of digital data by migration: i.e. continually migrating information from older hardware and software to newer systems. Some archaeological practices may not have the resources to act as a de facto digital preservation repository, however there are a few simple steps which can be taken to ensure the maintenance of the digital archive once the data is finalised and out of active use:
*Once documents and images created on analogue media are complete they should be moved as soon as possible from active office use into archive storage until eventual deposition.
*The guidance provided in sections 4.3 – 4.5 should be followed as far as is practically possible for all documentary and material archive in temporary storage prior to deposition.
*Once work on individual digital files has ceased they should be moved to the project archive and that should be recorded.
*Digital files should be fully indexed within the project archive and certified as virus free before storage.
*Once in the project archive all digital files should be actively managed as set out in 4.4 below, in order to prevent obsolescence.
!4.3. Accommodation for archives in temporary storage
It is highly desirable that the temporary storage time prior to final deposition is kept as short as possible. However it has to be accepted that in some cases, especially where projects are large or long running, temporary accommodation of the archive can last many years whilst analysis and report writing are undertaken. Wherever possible, temporary storage conditions should adhere to the national, regional or local rules for permanent storage of archaeological collections.
*Ensure that any stores housing the documentary or material archive are not at risk of destruction or damage by vibration, contamination or breakage through natural or man-made causes such as fire, floods or tidal waves, earthquakes or landslides, explosions or pollution, either on-site or in the vicinity. Avoid and protect against rodents, insects and other pests.
*Ensure that supply systems for electricity, gas, and especially for water are kept well away from storage areas, and that the building has a fire detection system.
*Minimise the amount of movement of stored objects and store archive materials in the dark.
*Ensure that stores are kept at the temperature and relative humidity appropriate for the objects according to national, regional or local recommendations. It is generally accepted that there is an increasing risk of microbiological activity above 60% relative humidity, and increased brittleness at a very low relative humidity. However across Europe with its variety of climatic zones, different limits have been recommended and there is no general agreement, either upon temperature or humidity, but it is established that most archive categories last longer at lower temperatures and at lower relative humidity. Reference should be made to national, regional or local standards and bibliographical information for these can be found on the ARCHES website [BIBLIOGRAPHY].
This page (revision-25) was last changed on 28-May-2014 14:53 by TestTop