Archaeological Investigations at Yourhaney Plantation (38GE18)

At the completion of an archeological investigation all recovered artifacts anddocuments will be conserved at permanent curation facility. The permanentcuration facility for this project will be the University of Alabama Office ofArchaeological Services (OAS) Curation Facility, as specified by the client.Since the OAS reboxes and organizes collections according to their ownstandards after submission, New South Associates uses a standard method toprepare the artifacts and documents for submission. A more detailed descriptionof this method will be prepared as part of the collections submission package.The first step will be to contact the OAS and inform them of the existence of thecollection, its approximate size, the client and when the collection will be readyfor delivery. Then, the collections and documents are organized into three parts.First, a submission packet, consisting of a Cover Letter, a ConservationStatement, a Statement of Cataloging Method, a Packing List and SpecimenCatalog, will be assembled. The second part includes all archived documents.These represent Photographic Records, Field Notebooks, Site Forms and FieldDocumentation. Finally, all artifacts will be grouped together. A detailed list ofthe materials submitted will be provided in the Specimen Catalog.The OAS requires that all original field and laboratory documents be submitted.These will be placed in manila file folders and labeled with the Project Name, theSite Number(s), the folder's contents and the submitter. These documentsshould be complete, organized by site, type of document, and arrangedsequentially. Original maps and oversized media will be folded or rolled in asheet of acid-free tissue paper and an archivally stable label applied to their outersurface. When preparing a document package for final curation, they should bearranged in order by their site number and then by document form. Documentpackages will be inventoried and a packing list generated.All Black and White and Color photographs will include both the negatives andimages (prints or contact sheets). All photographic materials will be placed inpolyethylene archival preservers and accompanied with a photo log. Images willbe organized sequentially with each roll being treated as a separate document.Each archival sleeve will be labeled to include the Project Name, the RollNumber, the Site Number, the Image Numbers (For a given sleeve), the Date(s)Taken and the Film Type. Each image will be labeled with a permanent nonacidicmarker (Film marking pen, Zig Pen or film pencil) with the Project Name,Roll Number, Site Number, Exposure Number, Subject (Description), theDirection and the Date Taken. All photographic records will then be arrangedsequentially in acid-free folders, which will be labeled accordingly.Prior to artifact cataloguing, each object should be washed/dry brushed, driedand repaired. All conservation efforts should be complete prior to cataloguing.These materials will be organized sequentially according to site number and fieldproveniences. Within a given provenience, artifacts will be grouped according to2