Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 16 - History, Humanities and Arts › Part 3 - Historic Preservation Division › Chapter 12 - Mississippi Standards and Guidelines for Archaeological Investigations › Rule 16-3-12.10.5 - Conservation and Curation

Current through June 25, 2024
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.