MDAH requires that all collections (Section106 projects and
MS Landmarks) be curated at a curatorial facility which meets the standards
outlined in 36 CFR Part 79. State owned projects, such as Mississippi
Landmarks, will be curated at MDAH Museum Facilities. Selection of a facility
is best made early in the project and, minimally, before the laboratory
analysis has begun.
The designated curation facility shall be identified
in the project report and on the site form(s).
All pertinent field, laboratory, and report documentation
should be archivally prepared and remitted to the curation facility with the
artifacts. This includes labeling each document package (i.e., notebook,
folder, etc.) and map with the state trinomial and accession numbers. For
projects where no artifacts were recovered, notes and other project materials
should be prepared for curation. This should include any photographic material
and electronic media including any artifact databases. If these databases are
coded, a copy of the coding system should be supplied to the curation facility.
Procedures for Curated
Collections
a. Ownership of the collection must be clear.
For donated or long-term loan collections, a copy of the agreement must
accompany the collection.
b. A
collection must include all data and paperwork generated as a result of a
project including, but not limited to: all field notes, specimens, records,
photographs, maps, computer-generated media, GPS/GIS data, metadata and other
all other data. All paper documents and photographs must be
originals. One bound copy of the final report and one digital copy must
be included with the collection.
c. All necessary conservation treatment of
artifacts or records must be completed prior to arriving at the curatorial
facility. A statement indicating which objects received conservation treatment,
along with a conservation record should accompany the collection Artifacts
which will need future conservation treatments need to be identified and the
cost of those treatments may be assessed in addition to the standard curation
fee.
d. Any collection that is
infested with vermin will be returned promptly at the expense of the owner.
Standards for
Records
a. All records and notes must be accompanied
by a catalog. The catalog must include, but is not limited to: project, site,
record type, and subject for each document or group of related documents. All
field notes, forms, drawings, catalogues, inventories will be printed or copied
onto acid-free paper. All paper records will be placed in acid-free archival
folders that are permanently labeled with the pertinent information listed
previously. Bag tags must be included inside all artifact bags.
b. Records with a significant amount of dirt
or soil smears will be copied before being submitted for curation. All soiled
originals will be curated with the artifacts.
c. A copy of all records must be submitted on
acid-free paper. These will be stored separately from the originals as per 36
CFR Part
79.9, 6ii.
d. All
computer generated media must be accompanied by a paper copy of the data
contained on the cd and a description of the programs used to create the data.
If any information was derived by custom computer programming, a description of
the file structures must also be included. All metadata must also be included.
Standards for Artifact
Collections
a. All artifacts must be organized by site
and provenience within each site. All materials separated out for photos, etc.
should be re-incorporated into their original provenience.
b. All artifacts must be contained in a 4 mil
polyethelene "zip lock" type bags with a white panel area for descriptions.
Sandwich bags, freezer bags, paper bags and all other kinds of bags are not
appropriate and will not be accepted. All provenience information will be
written in the white panel area of the bag in permanent black marker (i.e.
sharpie marker/pen). Bags must be punched with a standard hole punch near the
top of the bag to allow air/moisture to escape. Faunal remains/human remains
can be placed in a paper bag inside a plastic 4 mil polyethelene zip lock bag.
Soil samples also need to be placed in 4 mil polyethelene bags but can be
secured with string or wire. Fragile items must be packed in acid free paper
and placed inside MDAH approved archival boxes.
c. All artifacts and records should be packed
into the standard MDAH box after they arrive and are assessed; these boxes
measure 15"L x 12"W x 10"H (12 × "W with lid on). MDAH uses Perma/Cor Coroplast
Corrugated Bulk Storage Carton which is available to order through University
Products (Item number 225-0771). Other brands may be used but they must fit the
measurements above. Artifacts and records, therefore, can be shipped in a
manner left up to the submitter. Each box must contain two (2) copies of bag by
bag inventory of its contents. Inventory information must include but is not
limited to: site number, provenience, type of material and catalog number.
d. Each box must be labeled on the
front, on one side and inside. Box labels must be printed on archival
card-stock paper and contained within a plastic envelope affixed to the box
(the inside label does not have to be in an envelope). Any label template may
be used, but each label should include the following information: Box Number,
Accession Number, Consultant Name, Owner Name (if a state or federal agency
owns the collection), Project Name, Site Number(s), Site Name (if appropriate),
County, and Description of Box Contents. MDAH uses ULINE 4" x 6" Lock and Press
Side Adhesive-backed Envelopes (Model No. S-128) to hold box labels.
e. Collections stored at MDAH that are
federally curated (i.e., not under MDAH-ownership) are curated under a fee
basis. Artifacts curated under federal collections must come to MDAH "curation
ready" and may be rejected or subject to additional costs to curate the items,
when necessary.
Transfer of materials to
MDAH
To make arrangements for transfer of collections to MDAH,
please contact the Chief Archaeologist. A transfer memo should accompany any
delivered material, along with a brief description of items included in the
delivery.
