Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2024

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

Anthropology

Degree Program

Anthropology, MA

Committee Chair

Jennings, Thomas

Committee Member

Smallwood, Ashley

Committee Member

Tune, Jesse

Author's Keywords

archaeology; curation; digital curation; curation crisis; digital collections database; collections management

Abstract

The “curation crisis” is a dark cloud that consistently looms over the archaeological discipline, affecting the ways we plan, execute, and curate research projects. It is especially prominent within curation facilities and institutions that have the duty to preserve archaeological collections. The development of digital curation presents an avenue through which curators and collection managers can combat the crisis. Digital curation grants collection managers the ability to manage and ensure archaeological collection accessibility. Digital collection databases, particularly, have grown to become a significant component of collection management as it permits collections to be easily preserved, managed, saved, and accessible at the click of a button. However, curators and collections managers are challenged with determining the best development and management practices for digital collections, as digital curation is not directly addressed in 36CFR79, NAGPRA, or any other curation laws. This thesis evaluates the current curation and database management practices in curation institutions through survey feedback, investigates potential solutions for facility storage space maximization through legacy collection revitalization at University of Louisville’s Center for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage (CACHe), and discusses efforts to develop best curation and collection database practices that can be incorporated into a CACHe digital curation policy.

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