The Indonesian Archaeology Photograph and Documentation System (IAPDS)

Abstract

On December 1st 1989 the Indonesian Archaeology Photograph and Documentation System (IAPDS) was launched in Leiden. The project, which is scheduled to last three years, has both a photographic and a documentary aspect. The photographic aspect concerns firstly the conservation of the collection of black and white photographs of the Archaeological Service of the Netherlands-Indies, made between 1901 and 1941, and of the Indonesian Archaeological Survey, dating from 1945 to 1955. This collection consists of more than 25,000 photographs, of which 21,855 are kept in various institutions in Leiden. Secondly, the project envisages making a set of negatives of the complete collection, and of new, large prints which will be used by students and researchers. These will be kept at Leiden University Library. The documentation aspect of the project will involve the creating of a database in which data on the photographs, including information regarding the subjects depicted as well as bibliographic references, will be held. In a later phase it is intended to add other archaeological photographic collections, from elsewhere in the Netherlands and from Southeast Asia.