Curating Archaeological Collections

by Sullivan, Lynne P.; Childs, Terry S.

• ISBN13: 9780759100244
• ISBN10: 0759100241
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-03-12
• Publisher: AltaMira Press

Summary

Introduction to curation and preservation of archaeological materials. Visit our website for sample chapters!

Author Biography

Lynne P. Sullivan is curator of archaeology at the Frank H. McClung Museum and research associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Tennessee S. Terry Childs is an archaeologist in the Archeology and Ethnography Program of the National Park Service in Washington, D.C.

Table of Contents

Series Editors' Foreword	p. vii
Acknowledgments	p. xi
Introduction	p. 1
A Brief History of Archaeological Curation in the United States	p. 5
The Museum Era of Archaeology: Nineteenth Century to the 1930s
Early Federal Archaeology Programs: 1930s and 1940s
The Postwar Construction Boom and the "New Archaeology": 1945 to 1970
Making versus Caring for Collections: The 1970s and Beyond
Conclusion
The Current Status of Archaeological Collections	p. 23
Federal Legislation and Policy
Key Elements of the Curation Crisis
The Bright Side
Repositories: What Are They, and What Do They Do?	p. 45
Kinds of Repositories
What a Repository Does and Why
Responsibilities and Training of Repository Staff
Conclusion
Managing Curated Collections: The Basics	p. 59
Acquisitions Policies and Practices
Accessioning
Cataloging
Collections Preparation: Labeling and Conservation
Storage
Inventory Control and Data Management
Deaccessioning
Public Access and Use
Conclusion
Making a Collection: Fieldwork Practices and Curation Considerations	p. 79
Before the Field: Project Design
In the Field: Sampling and Conservation
In the Laboratory: Applying the Sampling Strategy and More Conservation
In Your Office after the Field Project: Records Management
Conclusion
Working with a Repository	p. 91
Arranging for Long-term Curation
Using Curated Collections
Conclusion
The Future of Archaeological Collections Curation	p. 103
Access: Collections in the Computer Age
Use of Curated Collections
The "Big Picture": Curated Collections as Samples of the Archaeological Record
Encouraging Repositories to Curate Representative Samples of the Archaeological Record
Coordinated Regional Planning
Support for Curating Archaeological Collections
Is It All Worth It?
Useful Internet Sites Related to Curating Archaeological Collections	p. 121
References	p. 127
Index	p. 141
About the Authors and Series Editors	p. 147
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