Archaeological archives — access for all

Abstract

Oxfordshire Museums are committed to providing access to their collections for the people of Oxfordshire and other interested researchers. This commitment is potentially in conflict with the long-term preservation of the collections. To resolve this conflict various options have been considered. In October 1993 the museum's archaeological collections were rehoused in a purpose-built storage facility, which also contains extensive facilities for conservation, documentation and study. This storage facility offers a range of controlled environments for housing fragile archaeological material. The storage of small finds, particularly archaeological metals, is designed to allow visual inspection without the need for handling. A procedural framework has been implemented that is designed to standardize archive format and content at the time of deposition by archaeological excavators, and to facilitate the transfer of documentation to a computerized database. The database is being enhanced with digitized images of artifacts and extended to enable multimedia public access at museums and libraries throughout the county. This approach will maximize access while reducing the risk of physical damage to fragile objects.