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Long-Term Legacies and Their Challenges in the Age of Modern Curation at the University of Georgia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 June 2019

Amanda D. Roberts Thompson Open the ORCID record for Amanda D. Roberts Thompson [Opens in a new window] ,
Victor D. Thompson ,
Michiel Kappers ,
Kristine Schenk  and
Mark Williams
Amanda D. Roberts Thompson*
Affiliation:
University of Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology/Georgia Archaeological Site File, 1125 E. Whitehall Rd., Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
Victor D. Thompson
Affiliation:
University of Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology/Georgia Archaeological Site File, 1125 E. Whitehall Rd., Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
Michiel Kappers
Affiliation:
QLC Inc. InTerris Registries, 228 East 45th Street, 9E New York, NY 10017, USA
Kristine Schenk
Affiliation:
University of Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology/Georgia Archaeological Site File, 1125 E. Whitehall Rd., Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
Mark Williams
Affiliation:
University of Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology/Georgia Archaeological Site File, 1125 E. Whitehall Rd., Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
*
(arobthom@uga.edu, corresponding author)
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Abstract

Formally established in the fall of 1947, the Laboratory of Archaeology at the University of Georgia is an archaeological research and collection repository. It is considered one of the premier institutions for curation of archaeological collections from the American Southeast. For over 70 years, the Laboratory has served as a repository for objects and associated records generated from archaeological projects and research undertaken by faculty, students, CRM professionals, and state and federal agencies. The Laboratory curates over 20,000 cubic feet of artifacts as well as paper and digital archives. In addition, the Laboratory houses the Georgia Archaeological Site File and manages data from more than 59,000 archaeological sites, including over 11,500 archaeological reports. In this paper, we explore implementation procedures for bringing legacy collections up to modern curation standards. We also outline how we migrate the data on paper records into the digital realm, articulating them within a comprehensive framework.

Establecido formalmente en el otoño de 1947, el Laboratorio de Arqueología de la Universidad de Georgia es una instalación de depósito de investigación y recolección arqueológica en Georgia y está considerado como una de las principales instituciones para la arqueología del sudeste estadounidense. El Laboratorio sirve como depósito de colecciones arqueológicas y registros asociados producidos a través de proyectos arqueológicos e investigaciones realizadas por profesores, estudiantes, profesionales de CRM y agencias estatales y federales durante los últimos 70 años. El laboratorio cura más de 20,000 pies cúbicos de artefactos, papel y archivos digitales. Además, el Laboratorio alberga el Archivo de sitios arqueológicos de Georgia e información sobre más de 59,000 sitios arqueológicos, incluidos más de 11,500 informes arqueológicos. En el presente trabajo, exploramos algunas de las direcciones que implementamos para comenzar la incorporación de colecciones heredadas a los estándares de curación moderna, así como el translado o movimiento de los archivos de información asociados al ámbito digital donde cada dato se articula dentro de un marco integral.

Keywords

Curationcollections managementrehabilitationcollection repositorylegacy collectionarchaeological managementartifact caredatabase managementcuracióngestión de coleccionesrehabilitaciónrepositorio de coleccionescolección legadamanejo arqueológicocuidado de artefactosgestión de base de datos
Type
How to Series
Information
Advances in Archaeological Practice , Volume 7 , Special Issue 3: Archaeological Collections Care: Current Topics and Innovative Trends in the Repository , August 2019 , pp. 274 - 283
Copyright
Copyright 2019 © Society for American Archaeology 

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References

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