Page 295 - Manual for Activities directed at the Underwater Cultural Heritage

 © Parks Canada. Final map of the structure, site 24M, Red Bay, Canada.
as the project design and background research. The documents relating to analysis and interpretation are also indispensable. Altogether these artefacts and documents constitute the project archive relating to the archaeological site.
The archive will be derived from activities during several phases: preliminary studies, project design, research, analysis, interpretation, conservation and curation. The archives will comprise two main categories, the documentary archive and the material archive, and as a third category, the necessary inventories and correlation lists.
The third category, the inventories and correlation lists are extremely important for future understanding. They can only be completed on completion of the archives. But correlation and concordance are al- ready at issue from the very start of data collection and documentation. Unique find-, feature- and document-numbers facilitate this process. Each separate data group should be cross-referenced to related data groups, to the final report, and if necessary to a general context concordance. These should be supplemented with a table of contents or index for maximum accessibility. Relational databases are practical aids, allowing for daily back- up. Just like in any administrative process, precision and meticulousness are essential.
Delay of archiving
Archiving must be completed within the shortest 294 delay possible. It is to be advised that preparation
Curation of project archives