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SMCC > Information for people working in museums > Caring for Archaeological Archives

Caring for archaeological archives  

- notes from a course run for the South East Museums Service

by Alan Thompson, Archaeological Records Officer, Museum of London

Web-published by kind permission of the author and the South Eastern Museums Service

The list below gives you some (not all by any means) of the elements that go to make up the basic contents of a viable archive.

Not all of these categories will be dealt with today, some however may be touched upon during various group discussions.

The main items that will be dealt with include aspects of the written, drawn and photographic archive, and the question of security for your archive material will be briefly examined.

• Site code
• Site location plan
• Survey data
• Levels data
• Original context sheets
• Original site drawings
• Site matrix
• Site notebooks etc
• Correspondence
• Index of site records
• Site abstract
• Stratigraphic assessment
• Index of archaeological association
• Interpretative drawings
• Phased matrix
• Land-use diagrams
• Text
• SMR and deposit survey forms
• Analysis and publication

It is appreciated that the above list may be impractical or even impossible for you to achieve with some, or even all, of the archives in your care.

However, it forms a framework upon which you can place the various elements of your archive material, ignoring for the moment those elements which do not seem to apply.

In the first instance you should sort the archaeological archive into as many of the categories mentioned above as possible.

Don't split or sub-divide categories unless you really think it would be useful. They could give you more work later on, when it comes to cataloguing or indexing.

If you can identify other categories, add them to the list and then use it as a standard for other archives that might find their way into your museum.

See what you can do to advance the status of your archive material

Establish whether you have, or can have, any input (concerning basic archaeological archive standards) with your museum and/or associated archaeologists for future archive deposition.

This point is absolutely crucial - very few field archaeologists do much archival work on their material beyond what may be required to produce a report. What comes out after that process is usually handed to people like you, to do with whatever you can.

As those charged with the responsibility for the archive, and in some ways the final arbiters of this material, you must attempt to control future depositions in the way of material standards, quality of content and regulated general standards, and ultimately to allow access by professional colleagues and other interested parties (not least of all the general public).

If possible construct guidelines for the preparation of archaeological archives for deposition, relevant to your particular museum (with input from museum staff and archaeologists).

Once agreed the standards should be implemented and monitored by you, so that the end result is an acceptable archive which needs no or minimal changes for acceptance.

Finally, I suppose, you can always refuse to accept non standard archive material until you are satisfied it has reached a basic level of competence. This may be difficult if it's material coming from your own museum (you would have to work on that in order to introduce changes), but it would certainly be an object lesson to anybody else wanting to deposit.

Written archive 

The site code or its equivalent, as the common unique identifier, should appear on as much of the material generated by the archaeological project as possible.

It should be written on all site records, including those created by any prospecting work (if the latter has been undertaken).

It should be included on the site abstract (if one exists), in order to link it to the site address given in correspondence.

It should be marked on site notebooks, diaries and registers.

It should be included in the major heading on the site matrix, on any SMR or deposit survival form, and on any Archive Checklist (if these exist).

Context records 

The originals of all context records (in whatever form they are created) should be deposited with the archive.

Each project should have a unique site code or a suitable equivalent, that is applied to all material generated.

Context records (or their equivalent) should contain at least the following items or information:

• the site code
• a unique context number
• a description of the context
• its stratigraphic relationships
• its three-dimensional location and the numbers of any
• drawings on which it appears
• an interpretation of its significance
• a record of any photographs on which it appears
• a note of any finds recovered
• a note of any samples taken

I use the term "context sheet" in its widest possible sense here. You may indeed have pro-forma sheets, but other systems may consist of cards, notebooks or just sheets of lined paper torn out of an exercise book.

Whatever system has been used for recording contexts, your first job will probably be to put them into numerical order.

Once you have done this, check that all information for each sheet or card etc is entered correctly. If this has not been done properly, then you may have to contact the excavator in order to complete this aspect of the work.

If a context register is available, use this to cross check the information - if this index does not exist you will have to create one.

As you are doing these jobs, remove any staples (carefully), paper clips and other metal fasteners.

Do not try to remove sticky labels or sticky tape, but refer these items to a conservator.

Once you are satisfied with the contexts and their registers, you might then consign them to a suitable ring-binder, or hold them together with plastic-ended treasury tags (if the sheets have punch holes), and store them flat in an archive box (see examples).

Survey data 

Survey data relating to the laying-out of the site grid, and its relationship to the OS grid, forms part of the site archive.

Notebooks 

Survey notebooks should be marked with the site code and kept with any other site notebooks.

If survey notebooks contain data from more than one project, good quality photocopies should be made of the relevant sections for deposition with each archive.

If survey data is digitised, a tape or disc copy should be lodged with the archive.

A printout should also be included.

Sketches and dye lines

Any sketches used in the course of surveying should be labelled with the site code and deposited with the archive, as should any dye lines or plans supplied by the developer.

Levels data

Any data relating to the establishment of benchmarks and the taking of levels from them should be included with the archive.

Notebooks should be marked with the site code and deposited with other site notebooks.

The increasing use of total stations means that this information is likely to be in digital form, in which case both the computer record and a printout of the data should be deposited.

Site matrix 

If available a stratigraphic site matrix, including all contexts, should be deposited with the archive.

All matrix sheets should be marked with the site code and a title.

If more than one sheet is used, continuing relationships should be shown.

Correspondence 

Your archive may contain various forms of correspondence such as details of project, ownership, access restrictions, contamination etc.

This material requires sorting (if not already done) into its various categories and then into date order.

Remove all fastenings and, where possible, substitute plastic-ended treasury tags. The correspondence can then be placed in a suitable folder, and later returned to the main archive.

Index of site records 

An index of site records should be compiled by the excavator, but if not available it may have to be an extra task that you need to perform.

This will assist you in understanding the elements that go to make up an archaeological 'excavation', and give you an excellent system for cross-referencing all its different parts.

It should be ordered by context number sequence, and contain various fields for other relevant information. The following is an example of the most frequently used fields in an index of site records:

Field 7 and onwards could be used for such information as matrix sheet number on which the particular context occurs, small/special finds numbers and sample numbers etc.

Once the index of site records has been completed a copy should be housed with the archive.

It may be useful to keep another copy in a file within your work area for ease of reference (do not staple sheets together - if necessary use plastic-ended treasury tags or just leave them unconnected entirely and keep them in a suitable folder).

Site abstract 

A short summary of the findings from the archaeological work should accompany the archive.

Not so much now but certainly in the past, this was rarely undertaken. Today it is an important element of the archive as it represents a way of obtaining a quick overview of a particular archive for round-ups, yearly reviews and for examination of a site's potential by researchers etc. It also provides you, the archivist, with a thumbnail sketch of each of the sites in your care.

If your sites do not contain this summary, then ask the excavator to supply one, if not threaten to write one yourself, this might prompt the excavator into action. If not, carry out your threat!

Possibilities for you to consider

All paper records (stratigraphic, finds etc) of A4 size or less should be packed in acid-free cardboard boxes (ideally measuring 270 x 370 x 110mm), fixed with brass staples, and with a full-depth drop-on lid.

Records greater than A4 should be stored in similar boxes measuring 375 x 375 x 120mm.

Records from small projects deposited at the same time can be stored in one box.

Do not overfill boxes.

All records, including bound notebooks, should be placed flat in the box.

All metal staples should be removed from the joined sheets, and metal paper clips replaced by plastic versions.

Groups of individual sheets, eg context records, should be held together either in ring-binders or by plastic-ended treasury tags.

If the latter method is used, they can then be placed in a card folder, as must single sheets.

If your archive contains computer printouts using perforated listing paper, this must be separated into individual sheets and treated similarly.

Small quantities of cards, eg context cards etc, should be placed together in an envelope.

Large quantities can be deposited in an appropriately-sized finds storage box.

Where appropriate, all records must be stored in numerical order, with continuation sheets clearly marked, and unused numbers indicated.

Drawn archive 

One of the first requirements of an archaeological intervention is to define its extent precisely, in order to avoid confusion between adjacent sites.

There should, therefore, exist location plans, on which the extent of all fieldwork undertaken is accurately plotted.

In order to locate accurately the extent of the fieldwork element of a project, an appropriately scaled location plan/s must be produced and should at least contain the following:

• the site code and any appropriate title
• the limits of the site
• selected points on the site grid (or grids)
• the maximum extent of areas of excavation
• location of sections and elevations
• location of any watching brief observations
• location of any other fieldwork (eg geophysical survey)
• location and value of temporary benchmark/s
• relationship of the site to the OS grid

Site location plans should ideally be drawn on film (but see below).

Sheets should not be larger than A1 (but see below).

If more than one sheet is used, relationships between sheets should be identified.

Other drawn material

The originals of all site drawings should be deposited.

Site drawings might include elevations and sections, and record drawings of timbers and worked stones as well as plans.

There may also be a variety of sketch drawings (rough and/or measured) from the excavation work to be considered.

You may have drawings from single context and planning operations, and from others multiple context planning might be the preferred method. There may also be mixtures of the two systems from other archaeological projects.

Whatever system is in use, the site drawings should contain the following information:

• the site code
• a brief description or title for the drawing
• grid co-ordinates
• scale
• unique drawing number
• an identification of the contexts on the drawing
• datum levels for plans and sections etc
• a plan matrix where appropriate

Ideally, drawings should be made on sheets of pre-printed gridded draughting film (but see elsewhere for further comment).

Only two sizes should be used: 290mm x 320mm (allowing a 5m square to be planned at 1:20), and A1 (but see elsewhere for further comment).

Continuation sheets and their relationships to each other should be indicated.

Sheets must never be taped or stapled together, or joined using any type of adhesive.

If possible the drawings should be made using a 6H pencil (although sometimes you will receive drawings with a combination of pencil, ink, crayon, Letraset and sticky coloured dots etc - some or all on the same drawing).

It may be that site drawings in your care come in a variety of paper or film formats - film/permatrace, gridded paper (of various colours), plain paper sheets, tracing paper or even photocopier paper etc.

Drawings in your care may also be on non-standard sizes of drawing 'paper', ranging from whole rolls of drawing film to sheets of gridded paper out of an exercise book.

Some drawings in my care are on roughly cut pieces of drawing film, and odd scraps of gridded paper, as well as various sizes and pieces of tracing paper.

Whatever the format, they represent primary site records and should attempt to comply with the points given above.

Anything less will weaken and reduce the value of the information. (You may have to do some chasing to satisfactorily complete these tasks.)

Sort drawings into plans, sections, elevations, sketches and architects drawings etc, and ascertain if indexes exist for each of these elements, and if so, check the details with the drawings (there may be a hands-on element here during the course).

If indexes do not exist or have been lost, then they will need to be created.

Once the drawings and their various indexes have been checked, the next item of concern is storage.

Drawings on film can be laid flat in a plan chest, or hung in various types of drawing tank (Elite or vertifile/planofile etc).

Drawings on gridded paper or tracing paper will need to be transferred to polyester envelopes/pockets (this is an inert material which will protect your valuable drawings), to make them easier to handle.

If drawings are folded or you detect other difficulties, you may need to seek the advice of a conservator, concerning any possible damage and ultimate remedy. Their final resting place will probably be in a polyester envelope/pocket.

Do not leave drawings tightly rolled in changing conditions for long periods of time, as they will be extremely difficult to flatten when you need to transfer them to other storage systems.

Possibilities for you to consider

If you use site drawings measuring 290 x 320mm, they should be stored flat in acid-free cardboard boxes measuring 375 x 375 x 120mm, fixed with brass staples, and with a full-depth drop-on lid.

Individual sheets should be arranged in numerical order and held together either in ring-binders or by plastic-ended treasury tags.

Treasury tags may be used if a project produces fewer plans than would three-quarters fill a ring-binder.

A blank sheet marked with the site code should be attached to the top of any treasury tagged group to prevent abrasion of the first drawing.

Single drawings should also be protected in this way.

Continuation sheets must be clearly marked, and unused numbers indicated.

Sheets must never be taped or stapled together, or joined using any type of adhesive.

If paper records from more than one project are stored together in a box, drawings from the same project may also be stored together in one box.

Drawings between A1 to A4 in size can be perforated for hanging in Elite or vertifile/planofile tanks etc.

The use of adhesive hanging strips or tape should be avoided if at all possible.

Paper plans such as dye lines, if larger than A4, should be placed in a polyester pocket/envelope.

Paper plans of A1 size or less should not be folded, and any over A1 should be folded the least number of times necessary to enable an A1 pocket or envelope to be used.

The drawn face of any folded plan should face outwards.

Another method of storing plans larger than A1 is be expandable plastic tubes (example).

The expandable tubes can store a variety of drawings with differing widths and lengths.

Only one drawing should be stored per tube.

Photographic archive

Photographs can be taken at any stage of an archaeological project, before or during fieldwork or to complement post-excavation work.

Images produced, whether on or off site, should have a unique reference (image) number.

Monochrome (black & white) images are the most suitable for long-term storage and should form the major part of the deposited photographic archive.

Colour images should only be produced from colour transparency film, never from colour film.

The ideal would be that each deposited negative was accompanied by a contact print, and any colour transparency of the same image.

A colour transparency should never be the only example of the image.

Fieldwork photographs

As well as on-site record shots of particular features or stratigraphic phases, fieldwork photographs might include images produced by external agencies, eg aerial photography, rectified photographs and photogrammetric images.

For all these photographs you need information about scale, direction and contents of shot, and full cross-reference should be made to other forms of record.

Post-excavation photographs

For photographs of finds and environmental material, information should be available about scale and image content, and the images catalogued and cross-referenced.

Photographic records

photographic logs

The archive should contain any site-specific photographic logs.

image reference numbers

To help cross-referencing and retrieval, each image should be given a unique reference number that appears on all negatives, prints and transparencies of that image, the associated written record (context record etc), and as the first field of the photographic catalogue.

The reference number should be in three parts, the film number, the year the shot was taken, and the image number of the film, eg 1019/94/2.

Photographic catalogue

The photographic catalogue provides access to and cross-reference with the stratigraphic sequence and other archival material.

It allows recovery of photographs relating to stratigraphy and objects of interest, and recovery of stratigraphic information about photographs of interest.

The catalogue can be compiled from the photographic logs kept during fieldwork and post-excavation.

The catalogue should contain the following fields in this order:

The comment field may be used to indicate period and stratigraphic association, or object type and material.

Other comments, eg direction of shot, may be added as necessary.

Example

1001/92/3,127,ROM Bd2RmB,from south.

3120/92/1,-,<363>,MED COPP THIM

Possibilities for you to consider

• Monochrome negatives with silver-based emulsions are stable and usually of good archival quality (eg Kodak TMX).
• As an extra precaution the film, when processed, must be given a wash of at least three hours to ensure the removal of chemicals.
• If you have to get film processed do not take it to Boots or a quick photo shop. If you do not have a museum photographer, you will need to go to an outside professional photographer, and indicate the purpose of the photographs so that the correct processing procedures can be applied.
• The most stable film currently available for colour transparencies is probably Kodachrome, but it has the disadvantage of degrading rapidly once projected.
• Ektachrome or equivalent (process E6 films) are not as stable, but do not degrade as quickly when projected.
• Therefore:
  • transparencies intended as an archival record supplementing monochrome negatives and contact prints should be on Kodachrome film.
  • Transparencies intended for use as lecture illustrations should be on Ektachrome.
• The use of colour print film should be avoided.
• Strips of monochrome negatives should be cut into appropriately-sized lengths and stored in a polyester sleeve (examples).
• If negatives are accompanied by sheets of contact prints, a sleeve with print-storage pocket could be used, although practicalities might suggest that these elements could be stored in separate files (examples).
• Image reference numbers should be marked on the reverse of contact sheets and on either the rebate of the negative or the sleeve.
• Sleeves should be held together either in a ring-binder or a plastic-ended treasury tag.
• Ring-binders should be marked with the site code, image reference, and contents.
• Small quantities of contact cards, where used, should be held together in an envelope and stored flat in acid-free boxes, unless a filing cabinet system for ease of access is used.
• Larger quantities of contact cards can also be stored in appropriately- sized acid-free boxes, or once again in a suitable filing cabinet system.
• Large prints should be placed in a clear-fronted bag and stored flat in a records box.
• The bag, not the print, should be marked, and, to avoid damage, the print should not be in the bag when it is being marked.
• The front of the bag should be marked, using a permanent marker, with the site code and image reference number, and the back of the bag with more detailed information if required.
• Each colour transparency should be fitted with an anti-Newton glass slide mount (this may however prove to be expensive), labelled with a fine permanent marker on the top of the mount with the site code and image reference number. This should then be placed in order in an archival-quality transparency suspension file.
• If possible, the file should be labelled, over the suspension bar, with the site code and range of image reference numbers it contains.

Museums in Surrey with archaeological collections are welcome to join the Surrey Museums Archaeology Group, to discuss archives and other issues - please contact us.

Copyright © SMCC Page last updated November 2006