GUIDELINES FOR THE CURATION OF GEOLOGICAL MATERIALS

the nature of a specimen and within the context of documentation principles,
must be considered "significant events" and therefore be recorded in full.
The quality and degree of treatments vary enormously and the implications for
documentation are similarly diverse. The principles of treatment are dealt with in
Section C2 of these Guidelines.
As for documentation, the majority of cases offer no difficulties, and the
following paragraphs indicate the general rules to follow. Subsequently, consideration
will be given to a more complex situation requiring rather more
attention.
5.4.1. The general rules for laboratory documentation
The following information should be recorded:
EntryISpecimen Identity Number
identification
condition on receipt (including photograph where appropriate)
treatment given and techniques used
dates of receipt and return
name of conservator.
In many museums which regularly prepare and conserve geological specimens,
laboratory records sheets or cards have been devised which enable this information
to be entered against the appropriate heading. These records stay with the
specimen during its treatment and form a diary of the work as it is carried out.
On completion, the card or sheet should be placed in the specimen's History File
or equivalent and be available for consultation, especially for the information of
future conservators should further treatment be required. A typical record
appears in Rixon (1976, p. 236) and a similar example is shown in Fig. 8.
Reg. No.
Group ORiccl l Date
Name of Specimen
Trearment required
SF...,l *-l
Returned 1 to 1
Casts
l I l (ip Bllil D'd 141544 C P 5M 8156
Fig. 8. Example of a conservation/laboratory card. The back is used to record details of
laboratory treatments.