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Caring for artifacts after excavation—Some advice for archaeologists

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Abstract

As the concern for long-term curation of artifacts grows in the United States, more responsibility will fall on the archaeologist and the laboratory assistant to provide adequate care for artifacts during and after excavation. In this article various systems are presented for packing and storing the range of artifacts found on historic sites in North America. A list of suppliers of some materials mentioned in the text is included.

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Singley, K.R. Caring for artifacts after excavation—Some advice for archaeologists. Hist Arch 15, 36–47 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03374012

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