It is important to follow a very strict registering process while excavating, because we find pounds of ceramic every day! And a wide range of materials has been documented, since objects of organic nature are very well preserved in dry and anaerobic environments. Here are some examples:
- Beads
- Jewels
- Coins
- Metal: iron, bronze, copper, gold
- Glass
- Pottery.
- Ceramic
- Wicker, rope, textiles
- Bones / shells / ivory (natural or altered)
- Wood, botanical remains
- Geological samples
- Architectural fragments
- Terracotta statuettes
- Sculptures
- Inscriptions on stone or wood
- Ostraka (including of shell or bone)
In order to perform this task, archaeologists are asked to take note ─in their diaries and in a special record card─ of all the information regarding the objects found during the day.
The following information can be found in these cards: date, location (trench), locus (stratigraphic unit), type of material, descriptive name, units, colour, etcetera. At a later stage, this document is used to check, label and bag the materials again, in order to store them clean. The next step is to take pictures or, should it be necessary, take the items to the restoration laboratory.
During the review process, all these materials are noted down on a registration notebook, which are then identified by using the complete abbreviations of the excavation and grouped by types of material. This way, we can easily find in the register all the information we need for the archaeology or conservation-restoration reports.
At first, the task may seem simple. Nevertheless, a large quantity of material needs to be managed, and reviewing these objects every day can take up several hours.
This documentation is especially useful for one of the last tasks performed in field: preparing the materials for its final storage.
In Egypt, the inspectors live with us in the field. By the end of the season, they take note of all the objects found and decide which must be taken to the storage room in the Ministry of Antiquities, where they are more efficiently secured and controlled than if we kept them in a warehouse or storage room.
The chosen objects are stored in special boxes (some of them are specifically made for this purpose). These are sealed with wax and a seal that belongs to the inspector, which proves that the materials stored there have been reviewed and chosen by him. Some team members must join the inspector when the objects are being taken to the storage room. Said objects are then stored there, alongside a list and photographs of all the materials placed in the boxes.
The last step of the process entails populating a database with all the information gathered in the registration book. Said database will help us, during the later stages of our research, to find materials, perform statistics, find patterns, etcetera.
As you can see, registering all the material is a particularly important part of the excavation process. Archaeological documentation is vital, especially in places like Egypt, where studying the material again can become a complex mission. Therefore, the more information we can process upon our return home, the more useful it will be for us down the line.
Sikait Project English 