2.6 Collections

Anthropological collections management involves preserving artifacts, cataloging data, and navigating ethical challenges. It's a balancing act between conservation, accessibility, and cultural sensitivity. Managers must handle space limitations, funding issues, and legal requirements.

Ethical considerations are crucial in artifact ownership and repatriation. Laws like NAGPRA guide the return of cultural items to indigenous groups. Provenance plays a key role in establishing an object's history and authenticity, impacting research and collection management.

Anthropological Collections Management

Challenges in anthropological collections

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• Preservation and conservation involve maintaining appropriate environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, light) to prevent deterioration and damage from handling, pests, and other factors, ensuring the long-term stability of materials (paper, textiles, ceramics)
• Cataloging and documentation require developing and maintaining accurate, comprehensive records, standardizing metadata and terminology, and digitizing collections for improved access and preservation
• Storage and space limitations present challenges in accommodating diverse object sizes and types (artifacts, specimens, documents), balancing accessibility with preservation needs, and managing the growth of collections over time
• Funding and resources involve securing adequate financial support for staff, supplies, and facilities, prioritizing competing needs within limited budgets, and adapting to changes in institutional priorities and external funding sources (grants, donations)
• Preventive conservation focuses on minimizing or slowing down deterioration and damage to collections through environmental control, proper handling, and risk assessment

Ethics of artifact ownership

• Cultural sensitivity and respect acknowledge the sacred or cultural significance of certain objects (ceremonial items, ancestral remains), consulting with descendant communities or cultural groups, and recognizing the potential for emotional or spiritual harm
• Informed consent and provenance ensure that objects were acquired legally and ethically, documenting the history of ownership and transfer, and obtaining permission from original owners or creators when possible
• Repatriation and cultural heritage laws require complying with legal requirements for returning certain objects to their communities of origin (NAGPRA), balancing competing claims of ownership or stewardship, and developing equitable policies and procedures for handling repatriation requests
• Access and use of collections involve determining appropriate levels of access for different stakeholders (researchers, educators, public), establishing guidelines for respectful and responsible use of materials, and considering the potential impact of research or display on descendant communities

Legislation for artifact repatriation

• Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) requires federal agencies and institutions receiving federal funds to return Native American cultural items to lineal descendants and culturally affiliated tribes, applies to human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony, and establishes procedures for consultation, inventory, and repatriation
• National Museum of the American Indian Act (NMAIA) requires the Smithsonian Institution to inventory and repatriate Native American human remains and cultural items, and establishes the National Museum of the American Indian as a repository for Native American collections
• UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property is an international treaty aimed at preventing the illegal trade of cultural property, encourages countries to protect their cultural heritage through national legislation and international cooperation, and provides a framework for the restitution of stolen or illegally exported cultural objects

Significance of provenance

• Provenance refers to the history of ownership, custody, and location of an object or collection, providing documented evidence of an object's origins, authenticity, and legal status
• Importance in research: Provenance establishes the context and credibility of objects used in anthropological studies, provides information about an object's cultural, historical, and geographical significance (Mayan artifacts, Polynesian textiles), and helps to identify potential biases or limitations in the interpretation of objects
• Significance in collection management: Provenance ensures that objects have been acquired legally and ethically, facilitates the development of accurate and comprehensive cataloging records, supports the responsible stewardship and potential repatriation of objects, and enhances the educational and research value of collections
• Object biography: Tracing the life history of an artifact from creation to present, including its use, exchange, and cultural significance over time

Methods of collection preservation

1. Environmental control
   • Temperature, humidity, and light regulation for different material types (paper, leather, metal)
   • Specialized storage conditions for sensitive materials, such as climate-controlled rooms and anoxic environments (nitrogen-filled cases)
2. Physical protection
   • Appropriate packaging and support for objects based on size, weight, and fragility (custom-made mounts, padded containers)
   • Use of archival-quality materials, such as acid-free paper and inert plastics, to prevent deterioration
   • Integrated pest management to prevent damage from insects and other pests (regular monitoring, quarantine procedures)
3. Cataloging and documentation
   • Standardized nomenclature and terminology for consistent recording (controlled vocabularies, thesauri)
   • Detailed object descriptions, measurements, and condition reports
   • Digital collections management systems for efficient data entry, search, and retrieval (database software, barcode labeling)
4. Conservation treatments
   • Minimally invasive techniques to stabilize and repair damaged objects (cleaning, consolidation, filling)
   • Specialized approaches for different material types, such as textiles, ceramics, and metals (wet cleaning, desalination, corrosion removal)
   • Consultation with professional conservators for complex or high-value objects
5. Digitization and digital preservation
   • High-resolution imaging and 3D scanning for detailed documentation and analysis (digital photography, laser scanning)
   • Digital asset management systems for organizing and preserving digital files (metadata standards, file formats)
   • Online databases and platforms for remote access and public engagement (virtual exhibitions, searchable catalogs)

Ethical and Legal Frameworks

Cultural Heritage Management

• Curation involves the selection, care, and interpretation of cultural objects for preservation and display
• Deaccessioning is the process of removing objects from a collection, following ethical guidelines and considering the long-term impact on cultural heritage preservation
• Cultural heritage encompasses tangible and intangible aspects of a community's history, including artifacts, traditions, and knowledge systems