Southend-on-Sea Borough Council – Leisure, Culture and Amenity Services
Appendix 1
Southend Museums Service – Guidelines for the Deposition of
Archaeological Archives
(revised May 2005)
1.
Introduction
1.1
The guidelines explain Southend Museum’s criteria for the preparation of
archaeological archives and their transfer to Southend Museum. They are
based on nationally agreed standards and are intended to assist
archaeological contractors, who undertake archaeological fieldwork for
property owners, developers or their agents, and for guidance of all other
organisations or individuals whose projects produce archaeological archives
that will be transferred to Southend Museum.
1.2
Archaeological archives comprise both a documentary archive (plans, section
drawings, notebooks, context sheets, photographs, microform and
computerised data, etc.) and the finds archive. These archives will become an
important part of the archaeological resource, and will be managed in the
public interest.
1.3
Southend Museums Service collects and accepts archaeological material
from South East Essex. This comprises the historic Rochford Hundred
together with Castle Point District, and includes Wickford and Basildon.
2. Before Fieldwork starts
2.1
It is the responsibility of the excavating unit working on a site within this
collecting area to make contact with Southend Museums Service (01702
434449) at the earliest opportunity, in order to obtain a copy of these
guidelines and to obtain a Museums Accession number for the site.
2.2
The Accession number supplied by the Southend Museums Service must
appear on all on finds bags and boxes and on the paper archive/digital
archive, and be referred to in any publications.
2.3
Where it is envisaged that a large amount of artefactual material may result
from archaeological work, it is essential that early consultation takes place
between the excavating unit and the Museums Service. In all cases of project
funded excavations, Southend Museum will levy an appropriate storage
charge (a one-off payment), based on the number of standard-sized boxes.
This currently stands at £25 per box. This sum goes towards the cost of
storage space, environmental control, and staff costs involved in long-term
curation. The project archaeologist will need to make it clear to the project
funder at the tender stage that this expense will need to be considered as an
integral part of the total project budget.
3.
Transfer of the Archive
1.1
The Museums Service will need to be satisfied that:
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The finds archive to be deposited is the property of the depositor; or
The depositor has the written permission of the original owner to deposit
the material with the Museums Service as an outright gift, the legal title
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council – Leisure, Culture and Amenity Services
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being transferred to the Museum. A Transfer of Title form will be signed
upon transfer of the archive.
Copyright of the paper/photographic/digital archive can be transferred to
the Museum.
The material has been scientifically excavated following the IFA Codes of
Practice.*
*In the case of single finds/metal detected material, that the depositor has the written
permission of the landowner/farmer to detect on that land and to deposit the material (by
gift or purchase) with the museum. In the latter case, material would only be accepted if
the provenance(s) have been accurately provided and an appropriate entry can be made
in the Sites and Monuments Record.

The material to be deposited does not contravene any national or
international laws, including the current Treasure Act (1996, amended
2003).
3.2
The archive to be deposited should comprise the original artefactual finds,
together with original or copies of plans, section drawings, photographs and
reports, and digital equivalents (the paper archive). Archaeological material
will not normally be accepted for deposit without the accompanying
paper/digital archive.
3.3
A microform security copy of the documentary archive should be deposited
with the Museum, to include plans, sections, context sheets, notebooks, etc.
This should preferably be in the form of microfiche.
Polyester based drawing films should preferably be of standard sizes that can
be stored in AO/A1 vertical plan chests.
The format of digital media should be discussed with the Keeper of Human
History at Southend Museum at an early stage. Digital media must be
accompanied by hard copy version.
3.4
The project archaeologist should supply details concerning the likely volume
of materials and its nature as soon as practicable after completion of the
fieldwork. On transfer of the archive the excavator should provide two copies
of an inventory of all finds, samples and records to be deposited with the
museum; individually catalogued small(special) or registered finds should be
listed separately on the inventory. Bulk finds should be listed by quantity (e.g.
10 boxes of post medieval pottery). The inventory should include the numbers
of plans, section drawings, context sheets, etc.
3.5
A brief statement should be included on the stability of the archive, and of any
conservation work carried out, and any special storage requirements.
Conservation records, together with any x-rays, etc. should form part of the
paper archive.
3.6
Archaeological material from excavations/watching briefs/evaluations should
be properly bagged and boxed in accordance with normal archaeological
practice. Any necessary conservation work should have been carried out prior
to deposition, in consultation with the Museum’s Keeper of Human History.
Non-sensitive bulk finds should be washed, marked and bagged in self
sealing plastic bags with white panels, and stored by material and then by
context in standard sized cardboard boxes. Bags and boxes should be
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marked using a lightfast and waterproof black marker, with accession
number, site code and context number.
Similar material from different contexts may be stored in the same box, to
save space, but must be in separate bags, and clearly marked.
Illustrated material may be boxed separately, but reference cards must be
placed in the boxes relating to the original contexts.
Sensitive finds should be processed according to standard conservation
practice.
3.7
Any disposal of unwanted excavated material (e.g. shell, bulk building
materials, unstratified finds) or selection of material for sampling (e.g for fabric
types) should be done so prior to deposition with the Museum after discussion
with the Keeper of Human History, and a note should be included with the site
archive.
3.8
The archaeological archive should be accompanied by digital records,
suitable for immediate incorporation into the Sites and Monuments Record.
The SMR/HER for Southend Unitary Authority and Essex County Council is
the Exegesis HBSMR.
3.9
Archaeological archives will not normally be accepted for transfer to Southend
Museum unless these guidelines have been followed.
4.
Contact Details
Ken Crowe, Keeper of Human History
Southend Museums Service
Southend Museum
Victoria Avenue
Southend-on-Sea
Essex
SS2 6ES
Tel:
01702 434449/215130
Fax: 01702 349806
E-mail: john.skinner@bigfoot.com
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