It was like that when we found it: dissociation and standards of care for archaeological and ethnographic collections.
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| Title: | It was like that when we found it: dissociation and standards of care for archaeological and ethnographic collections. |
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| Alternate Title: | لقد كان على هذا الحال حين وجدناه: الانفصال ومعايير العناية في المجموعات الأثرية والإثنوغرافية "Así estaba cuando lo encontramos: Disociación y normas de conservación de las colecciones arqueológicas y etnográficas". "Estava assim quando encontramos: dissociação e padrões de cuidado em coleções arqueológicas e etnográficas". "发现即如此：考古与民族志藏品的信息脱节与照护标准". |
| Authors: | Fuentes, Ayesha1 (AUTHOR) acvf2@cam.ac.uk |
| Source: | Journal of the Institute of Conservation. Oct2025, Vol. 48 Issue 3, p221-233. 13p. |
| Subject Terms: | Archaeological museums & collections, Conservation & restoration, Documentation, Safety standards, Archaeological assemblages, Risk management in business |
| Geographic Terms: | United Kingdom |
| Abstract (English): | This article draws from three years of work as an objects conservator and postdoctoral researcher on a stores move project at the University of Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Through preventive risk management, handling, stabilisation and documentation, the following reflects on the effects of dissociation, standards of care and safe access for over 300,000 objects—including archaeological stone tools, food storage containers, ritual objects, garments, weapons, toys, and musical instruments—collected around the globe and brought to the UK over the past two and a half centuries. Many of these lack reliable documentation about their function, condition and originating contexts. Using case studies from the move project, the article reflects on how and by whom the loss of information about an object's standards of care can or should be remediated, and how dissociation influences long-term risk management in practice. It also suggests how safe handling and multi-sensory access might be used to cultivate engagement and shared value for even unprovenanced or under-documented collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (Spanish): | Este artículo se basa en tres años de trabajo como conservador de objetos e investigador postdoctoral en un proyecto de traslado de almacenes en el Museo de Arqueología y Antropología de la Universidad de Cambridge. A través de la gestión preventiva de riesgos, la manipulación, la estabilización y la documentación, el siguiente artículo reflexiona sobre los efectos de la disociación, los estándares de cuidado y el acceso seguro a más de 300,000 objetos—entre los que se incluyen herramientas arqueológicas de piedra, recipientes para almacenar alimentos, objetos rituales, prendas de vestir, armas, juguetes e instrumentos musicales—recogidos en todo el mundo y traídos al Reino Unido durante los últimos dos siglos y medio. Muchos de ellos carecen de documentación fiable sobre su función, estado y contexto de origen. Utilizando estudios de casos del proyecto de traslado, el artículo reflexiona sobre cómo y quién puede o debe reparar la pérdida de información sobre los estándares de cuidado de un objeto, y cómo en la práctica, la disociación influye en la gestión de riesgos a largo plazo. También sugiere cómo se puede utilizar una manipulación segura y un acceso multisensorial para fomentar la participación y el valor comunitario incluso en colecciones sin procedencia o con poca documentación. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (Portuguese): | Este artigo baseia-se em três anos de trabalho como conservadora de objetos e pesquisadora de pós-doutorado em um projeto de mudança de armazenamentos no Museu de Arqueologia e Antropologia da Universidade de Cambridge. Pelo gerenciamento de risco preventivo, manuseio, estabilização e documentação, o texto reflete sobre os efeitos da dissociação, parâmetros de cuidado e acesso seguro para mais de 300.000 objetos–incluindo ferramentas de pedra arqueológicas, recipientes para armazenar comida, objetos de rituais, peças de vestuário, armas, brinquedos e instrumentos musicais—coletados ao redor do globo e trazidos para o Reino Unido ao longo dos últimos dois séculos e meio. Muitos destes carecem de registros confiáveis sobre sua função, estado de conservação e contextos de origem. Usando estudos de caso a partir do projeto de mudança, o artigo reflete em como e por quem a perda de informação sobre um parâmetro de cuidado de um objeto pode ou deveria ser remediado e, como a dissociação influencia, na prática, a gestão de riscos a longo prazo. O artigo também sugere como o manuseio prudente e o acesso multissensorial deve ser usado para fomentar o engajamento e valores compartilhados, tanto para coleções sem procedência comprovada ou com documentação limitada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (Chinese): | 本文基于作者作为器物修复师及博士后研究员，在剑桥大学考古与人类学博物馆为期三年的库房搬迁项目中的工作经验展开讨论。通过预防性风险管理、搬运、稳定处理及记录工作，文章反思了脱节现象、照护标准及安全可及对超过30万件藏品的影响。这些藏品包括考古石器、食物储存容器、仪式用品、服饰、武器、玩具及乐器，均在过去两个半世纪中从全球各地收集并运至英国，其中许多都缺乏关于其功能、保存状态及来源背景的可靠记录。通过搬迁项目的案例研究，本文探讨了器物护理标准信息的缺失应如何以及由谁来补救，并思考了在实践中脱节现象如何影响长期风险管理。此外，文章还提出，即便是来源不明或记录不全的藏品，仍可通过安全持拿和多感官接触来促进公众参与与价值共享。 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | GreenFILE |
| Abstract: | This article draws from three years of work as an objects conservator and postdoctoral researcher on a stores move project at the University of Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Through preventive risk management, handling, stabilisation and documentation, the following reflects on the effects of dissociation, standards of care and safe access for over 300,000 objects—including archaeological stone tools, food storage containers, ritual objects, garments, weapons, toys, and musical instruments—collected around the globe and brought to the UK over the past two and a half centuries. Many of these lack reliable documentation about their function, condition and originating contexts. Using case studies from the move project, the article reflects on how and by whom the loss of information about an object's standards of care can or should be remediated, and how dissociation influences long-term risk management in practice. It also suggests how safe handling and multi-sensory access might be used to cultivate engagement and shared value for even unprovenanced or under-documented collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 19455224 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/19455224.2025.2548426 |
