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ANTH - 206 - FAL24 - Lab - Lesson - Plan - Curation - Tagged

The document outlines a lab assignment for a course in archaeology, where the student, Trista Reese, is tasked with assessing legacy collections as a newly hired curator. It provides specific revitalization recommendations for five boxes of artifacts from a 1972 excavation, focusing on proper storage, labeling, and pest control measures. The assignment emphasizes the importance of adhering to current curation standards and addressing issues related to artifact preservation.

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otterrulz137
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20 views3 pages

ANTH - 206 - FAL24 - Lab - Lesson - Plan - Curation - Tagged

The document outlines a lab assignment for a course in archaeology, where the student, Trista Reese, is tasked with assessing legacy collections as a newly hired curator. It provides specific revitalization recommendations for five boxes of artifacts from a 1972 excavation, focusing on proper storage, labeling, and pest control measures. The assignment emphasizes the importance of adhering to current curation standards and addressing issues related to artifact preservation.

Uploaded by

otterrulz137
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name_______________________

Trista Reese

Section______________________
206-50

University of Louisville
Department of Anthropology
ANTH 206: Principles of Archaeology
Lab 10: Archaeological Curation
You were hired as the Curator of Archaeology at a museum. Your first priority is to assess legacy
collections and develop a revitalization plan for each. (The phrase “legacy collection” refers to
older materials that do not meet current curation standards.)
1) Start by reading the article by Roberts-Thompson and colleagues (2019) on legacy
collections, and then read the short paper from the National Parks Service (1994) on
pest-control procedures.
2) Look over the collection information below from your first collection. These artifacts and
reports are from a 1972 excavation of a pre-contact Fort Ancient village site in Kentucky.
There are five boxes of material in all.
3) Create an assessment for each box – what are the major issues that need to be
addressed in the revitalization process? Focus on the NPS paper, and from Roberts
Thompson et al. (2019) focus on Section 1 of Table 1 and also Table 2.
Example collection box: note the brown paper bags and a box that is not pH-neutral.
Box 1
Weight = 19lbs
Contents: Paper bags each filled with ceramics
Revitalization recommendations:

I would individually wrap each ceramic with tissue paper to reduce scratching and contact with the air around it. Instead of
paper bags, use something sturdier; cardboard boxes with lids. I would store it somewhere with little, to no, traffic to
prevent temperature flucuations. I would catalogue each piece by where it was recovered, the description, and how the
condition is.

Box 2
Weight = 29lbs
Contents: Each paper bag is labeled with a feature number (1-15), and each feature bag
contains a mixture of ceramic, lithics, and faunal remains
Revitalization recommendations:

I would start revitalizing this box by wrapping each artifact separately. Then, I would separate different artifacts from
each other and place alike ones together. Label them with their number, artifact type, and a description. I would store
these in crates due to the heaviness.

Box 3
Weight = 48lbs
Contents: several paper bags of lithics
Revitalization recommendations:

On box 3 I would wrap each piece individually. I would label them with numbers and matching descriptions on quality
and key features. Due to the weight of this box, I’d opt for a sturdier, plastic storage bin that is slitghly larger and more
durable.
Box 4
Weight = 22lbs
Contents: paper copies of archaeological reports
You notice evidence of booklouse, known to feed on microscopic mold and fungi found on
paper.

Revitalization recommendations:

I would start by isolating the box of infested reports to prevent the spread of booklouse, Make sure the reports didn’t get damaged by
the infestion and I would make notes on every artifact that shows damage. I would put the box in a freezer for 48 hours to kill the louse
and their eggs, thus preventing future spred. I would clean out the box by vacuuming and disinfecting it and the surfaces it touched.
Once the reports are clean, I’d recommend inputting the reports digitally to prevent this from happening in the future.

Box 5
Weight = 25lbs
Contents: several paper bags marked faunal, 2 paper bags marked human burial
Revitalization recommendations:

Separate the human


burial bags from the
faunal bags since
human remains aren’t
allowed to be around
non-human remains.

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