photographing archaeological objects for record and publication...

a clear and accurate record...
 
decorative mount
seal matrix

how we do it...


Although every small find is structurally different, our apporoach to photographing them can be standardised. Typically, each object is placed against a black baseboard with a diffused daylight-balanced strip light positioned above and behind it at approximately 30° above horizontal. This oblique angle allows raking light to strike the surface of the cloth seals so revealing any fine detail and the relief of worn surfaces. Harsh shadows on the lower edge of objects can be minimised using a white foam core bounce board as a reflector. Tripod mounted digital cameras, incorporating a macro lens will capture images of every side of the object. The images will be saved in a .NEF (raw file) format, before then being converted to .TIFF format for archiving and compatibility with Adobe Photoshop photo editing software.
 
 

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photographing small finds
mid-eighteenth century mourning ring

the importance of creating a digital record...


Given the growing interest in the preservation and use of a range of historical records, and also in digitising and making the data widely available, it is our intention to make effective use of digital media to facilitate public and academic access to the whole assemblage through Durham University Museum's Discover system. Digitised information about our objects would then become available online, in a single resource discovery system, as part of Durham University library, archive and museum collections. The Museum of Archaeology is largely focused on the archaeology of North East England but the collection also includes national and international artefacts. Much of the collection was excavated by members of Durham University's Department of Archaeology and is accompanied by detailed archival material.

As cataloguing is an important aspect of documenting our assemblage it is important that we adhere to widely-used cataloguing and archival standards, for example, by incorporating four levels of hierarchy i.e. 1. Collection 2. Group 3. Sub-group 4. Item; and by incoporating filenames (for the digital files) that reflect the reference numbers of the objects in our catalogue. This cataloguing method also gives us greater intellectual control over our assemblage, creates accurate descriptions, enables identification of preservation/conservation needs and widens access to descriptions and the objects themselves. This means that if we ever want to incorporate our catalogue within the catalogue of a professional institution (such as a record office), it should be easy to do so.