Official Circulars of the Peruvian Expedition
of 1912.
No. 13
Collection of Archeological and Osteological Material.

All the members of the expedition are expected to keep on the lookout for archaeological and osteological material. Where it occurs in sufficient quantity to seriously delay the regular work of the party the Director is to be botified as soon as possible. This information should include a careful description of the location of the find, a sketch of the locality and as many details as can be given.

(1) If valuable finds are made within ten days' distance of Cuzco a special collecting party may be equipped and sent out.

Where material does not occur in such quantities as to delay surveying parties for more than a day or two at a time it is expected that they will collect both osteological and archaeological material.

The successful collecting and packing of fragile material presents so many difficulties that the following suggestions are issued to aid in securing uniform work and co-operation in this regard.

Field parties that have no particular equipment for collecting or bringing in fragile material will collect so far as they can according to the following suggestions.

Where to Look.

In travelling afield, collectors on the lookout for osteological and archaeological specimens should examine all exposed gravel banks, and should excavate here and there in so-called "ash deposits," kitchen middens, ancient "camp sites", and rock shelters, as

3.

midden. If personal trinkets are found with human remains, note carefully any evidence as to whether they are associated with any given individual, as around the neck or arm or as a medallion on the breast. Trinkets belonging with an individual should be given the same record number.

Notes to be taken describing each find should cover:

(a) Geographic locality.

(b) Geological formation or general nature of the deposit (cemetery, grave, kitchen midden, etc.)

(c) Position and orientation of all human remains, the relative position of different parts, and the degree of completeness of the skeleton. Do not be afraid of making notes ample.

(d) Photographs before, during and after excavating.

## Labelling Specimens.

It is necessary to adopt a system of numbering and labelling specimens and photographs that will enable the collector (or anyone using his notes) to tell, if possible, what bones belong to each animal collected; or, if individuals can not be distinguished when excavating, to tell what specimens belong to each separate find or locality. The series of numbers should correspond to numbers used in note books. A good way to label specimens in the field is to write the number with a black lead pencil on a slip of white paper, this slip to be enclosed with each separate artifact, bone or package of bones or sherds. Make the paper label large enough, so that it will not fall out of the package and be lost; and write the number and your

4.

initials, in clear large characters, on both sides of
the slip.

Packing.

In packing fragile material for transportation,
the main point to bear in mind is to surround such
specimens with well-compressed soft material inside a
rigid box; otherwise continual jarring will cause irreparable injury.

Empty food boxes are available for packing, as well
as small sized tin cans and tin boxes. When opening
tin cans, it is well not to cut the end entirely out,
but to leave it partly attached so that it may be close
down over any small specimens packed in the can. Fragile
material packed in this way has journeyed nearly
around the world without injury. Cloth bags such as
are found in the food boxes, cheese-cloth squares,
worn out or extra articles of wearing apparel, and dry
grass may be advantageously utilized for packing.

## 2.

well as in the neighborhood of prehistoric ruins, natural points of lookout, waterholes, and ancient cultivated fields.

### What to Collect.

In general, it will be desirable to bring in not only remains of man, bones, sherds, artifacts, etc., but also the bones of any animals found associated with him.

### How to Collect.

Do not be in too much of a hurry to get bones or potsherds out of the ground. Do not allow loose specimens on the surface to escape you. As far as possible, entirely uncover skeletons before removing from the ground; also start notes before removing material. It is sometimes difficult to enter correct data later on. If a skull, bone or pot breaks, try to keep its pieces together. This does not mean that you must spoil the fine new fracture by trying to match pieces. If complete human skeletons are found, it may be possible to keep the bones of each hand and foot together, in a separate package. The most valuable parts of a human skeleton are the skull and jaws. Every effort should be made to get these out entire. If damp, they should be wrapped in dry material of any kind, and dried out slowly. Should the teeth drop out, save them carefully, and do not allow them to rattle against each other when packed.

### What to Record.

When skeletons, bones, or artifacts are discovered in middens or deposits of considerable depth (depth being an indication of long occupation of a given locality), notes should record the depth in the deposit at which specimens were found. Photographs and sketches should be made, showing the extent of the

Official Circulars of the Peruvian Expedition of 1912.
No. 14.
<u>Instructions for numbering photographs.</u>

When films are issued by the quartermaster, serial numbers will be assigned to accompany the films. As soon as films are developed all films, both good and bad, are to be numbered in ink as follows: in the lower right hand corner of the glossy side of the print on the negative, so that it will show when printed, a serial number, lettering to be about 1/4 of an inch in height and as clear and distinct as possible, preferably made with a fine pen; on the margin of the film so that it does not show on the negative when printed are to be put the month, and day, together with the initials of the person taking the picture.

**Example:** Suppose that the quartermaster has issued to you 10 rolls of 10 exposures each, and given you the serial numbers for these 100 exposures, 2401 to 2500. Suppose the first roll was exposed on August 26. In marking, the first picture taken should receive in the lower right hand corner the serial number 2401, and on the margin in the lower left hand corner 8 - 20 (X.Y.Z.) i.e., your initials.

<u>Example:</u> Suppose that the quartermaster has issued to you 10 rolls of 10 exposures each, and given you the serial numbers for these 100 exposures, 2401 to 2500. Suppose the first roll was exposed on August 26. In marking, the first picture taken should receive in the lower right hand corner the serial number 2401, and on the margin in the lower left hand corner 8 - 20 (X.Y.Z.) i.e., your initials.