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Curatorial Considerations for Systematic Research Collections: AMS Dating a Curated Ceramic Assemblage

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

William A. Lovis*
Affiliation:
University Museum and Department of Anthropology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1045

Abstract

The needs of new analytic techniques that may be depleting or destructive, or which have requirements that may be at odds with other approaches, place new and different demands on curated archaeological research collections. Curatorial approaches and attitudes need to accomodate such changes in research environment and be aware of both the potentials of curated collections as well possible conflicts. A pilot study employing AMS dating of adhering residues on a curated ceramic collection is used to illustrate curatorial concerns and decisions associated with the use of modern techniques. It is argued that continued use of such collections is important, and that management decisions must keep pace with technological innovations.

Résumé

Résumé

Los requisitos necesarios para ejecutar los métodos nuevos de tecnología analítica, los cuales destruyen y diminuyen colecciones arqeológicas que han sido tratadas para conservación, ya a veces tienen requisitos propios que quizá no acorden con otros procedimentos, presentan nuevas y differentes exigencias sobre las colecciones ya mencionadas. Los métodos de tratamiento de dichas colecciones y las actitudes y posiciones sobre los mismos necesitan ser adaptados a cambios en las condiciones de investigatión, y los investigadores deben ser conscientes de el potencial que poseen estas colecciones asi como de la possible existencia de conflictos y desacuerdos con otros métodos. Se condujo un estudio piloto en el cual se utilizó el método de espectografia de masa acelerada para datar los residuos adheridos a la superficie de objetos de una colección de objetos cerámicos que habían sido previamente tratados para conservación. El objectivo de este estudio fue el de ilustrar ciertos puntos de importancia y decisiones que se deben de considerar cuando se utilizan métodos de análisis modernos. Se sostiene que es importante sequir sometiendo estas colecciones a los métodos de análisis modernos, y que las decisiones de manejo y administration de tales colecciones deben de mantenerse al tanto de los avances e inovaciones de la tecnologia analítica moderna.

Type
Reports
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1990

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