On Marking and Cataloging Your Artifacts

[dognose]

Good column on marking and cataloging your artifacts by Robert N. Converse found in the Ohio Archaeologist 60, no. 4 (Fall 2010), 14-16

Click to read Marking and Cataloging Your Artifacts

Personally I have used two or three catalog marking mythologies over the years as my collection has grown.

 

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[tomclark]

Good info there. I have "lifetime" collections from my local counties region, especially shell, all together but none of it is catalogued or marked. Everything else I have personally collected is from a relatively small area of Central to sorta North Coastal FL from Gulf to Mid-State. All same to me and none of it is catalogued or marked. Don't be like Tom. lol

 

[The Grim Reaper]

I used to mark each piece with a number and then catalog it on an index card with type, material, length and width, date found, and location. Now all I do is site trays. Don't have to mark anything except the tray.

 

[uniface]

I can't access the article on the dinosaur. But for what it may be worth, John Dickson, who's fanatical about preserving provenance and has sold hundreds of big collections, reminds people that the number of artifacts with site numbers/collection inventory numbers that nobody can place because the first thing the auctioneer or merchant does is throw away the collection notes passes all reckoning. The only worthwhile marking is, IMHO, the standard site registration number -- example: 36MO30 (Montour County, Penna.). This assumes, though, that you can get the state archaeological mafia to disclose it. In Pennsylvania, good luck with that. When I tried, they wanted detailed information on it so they could record it in their database in case they didn't already have it on file; then they played keep-away with the trinomial because it's a deep secret only disclosed to professionals.

Then again, that was 25 years ago. Maybe the toxic climate has improved since then ?

Again, FWIW, you've noticed mine have little stickum labels with vital data (when known), covered with sturdy transparent packing tape so they don't come loose. Easily removed. That way I don't have to worry about losing the notes -- a near certainty in the lives of the disorganized.

 

[newnan man]

I usually just mark the initials of the state the point is from. Bad way to catalog. Now that I'm getting old a lot of my finds and my brothers are kinda murky in my mind ( What's left of it) so I would say do your best to keep good records.