Adam,
I think you may have gotten some inaccurate information. The New Jersey Historic Preservation Office does not curate artifacts, so they definitely don't require bones to be wrapped in aluminum foil. The New Jersey State Museum, which is the official state repository for archaeological compliance collections, also does not require aluminum foil. Their draft curation guidelines call for archival quality 4-mil polyethylene bags for artifact storage.
Where did you hear about this supposed requirement? Was there something unusual about the bone from the project that made the investigators think that wrapping it in foil would be appropriate?
Cregg
>>> adam heinrich <[log in to unmask]> 5/5/2006 10:58 AM >>>
Hello all,
I am writing to ask about some basic bone storage methods used by the
professional zooarch/museum community. I have been made aware that the New
Jersey State Historic Preservation Office is requiring that all bone to be
wrapped in aluminum foil before they would accept the materials for storage.
I was thinking that this is a wierd way to store all bone. Experiences at
several locations has showed bones being stored in plastic bags, paper bags,
and only foil for fragile specimens such as mandibles with loose teeth. But
never has tin/ aluminum foil been used as the primary wrapping.
This initially concerned me because I fear that the rather tough foil could
damage bone surfaces to potentially mimic or disguise cultural or biogenic
surface modifications. I guess it may be an avenue for some experimental
work! On top of that, if one wanted to look at the bones, unwrapping all
these fragments from their foil shrouds would be incredibly inhibiting. Not
to menton the time billed to clients as I watched lab assistant wrapping the
bones in bits of foil.
I am hoping for some insights into preferred methods to store bones.
Thanks in advance, Adam Heinrich
"Old crow of wisdom did say
...people of Asa land, it's only just begun..."
Bathory
|