Documentation Of Artifacts Vigan

Documentation of

ArtifactsRegalado Trota Jose

Why Document and Catalogue Artifacts?

1. Responsible management of heritage cultural property;

2. Records information about an object;

3. Determines legal ownership of an object more easily;

4. Locate and access collections;

Why Document and Catalogue Artifacts?

5. Security of an object is improved:• If stolen, precise list of items could be

presented to insurers and police;

• Detailed description and photograph of each item would assist police trying to retrieve and identify objects;

• If an object has been damaged, having a detailed description would make it possible to restore and conserve them;

• If totally lost, then at least a documentary record exists.

Documentation of Artifacts

1. List the artifact in an Inventory or Museum Register

2. Record the object in a Catalogue

3. Photograph each object

4. Keep the documentation in a safe place

1. List the Artifact in an Inventory or a Museum Register

1.1 Begin an Inventory or Museum Register where all items are entered as soon as they are acquired, or upon commencement of the inventory project;

1.2 There should be one entry for each object;

1.3 Each entry should contain the following information, in tabulation:

a. Accession numberb. Date of acquisitionc. Name of objectd. Provenance or source of object; artist,

maker, or cultural groupe. Brief description of object (material, size,

colors, etc.)f. Name of Recorderg. Other notes (state of completeness

deterioration of object)

1.4 Assign an accession number for each item,following a code which has previously beenagreed upon.

For example, 076-03-MA, where:

- 076 represents the the 76th object acquired since the start of the inventory taking;

- 03 the year of acquisition or inventory taking (2003);

- and MA the place where the object was collected (Manila).

Sample work from the Cultural Heritage Studies UST Graduate School

• Paint the accession number on a side of the object not readily seen by the public, but accessible to persons responsible for the collection.

Brown Madonna Galo OcampoUST Museum of Arts and Sciences

2. Record the Object in a Catalogue

2.1 Maintain a card or page for each object

2.2 These cards or pages should be classified according to a pre-

agreed plan, such as:

• by provenance, function, material, historical style, etc.

Old Santo Collection CatalogueRegistry Card (General)

UST Museum of Arts and Sciences

Old Santo Collection Catalogue Classification Card- Male Saints


2.3 Each card or page should carry the following more detailed information:

a. Accession number

b. Date of acquisition

c. Name of object (including local and/or scientific names)

d. Provenance (where the object was acquired or came from)

e. Name of artist, maker, or cultural group or area

f. Manner of collection: purchased, donated or picked up; name of collector or donor; price paid, if any

g. Approximate year or time when the object was made

h. Description of the object, including:

• Dimensions (length, height, width, diameter, depth)

• Materials (ivory, gold, coral, silver-like metal, etc.)

• Physical description (shape, parts, colors)

• Markings or inscriptions on the object, and where these are found

• Functions or use of the object

i. Condition of the object upon acquisition

j. Photography information: negative number, name of photographer

k. Other information (notes from the field, etc.)



New Visual Arts Collection Description Form

with reference to the old catalogue which will be combined


New Visual Arts Collection Condition Report


3. Photograph each object

3.1. One main photograph should appear on the front side of the catalogue

card or page;

3.2. Photographed details of the object should appear on subsequent pages

of the Catalogue;

Santo Collection Catalogue


3.3 Include the following in thephotographic documentation:

a. Front, back, side and other views of the object.

a. Damaged or unusual parts of the object

b. Details of the decoration, including inscriptions, brands and hallmarks

• Photograph the items with a scale or ruler

• Make contact prints from all the negatives and file these with the negatives.

St Thomas AquinasSanto Collection


4. Keep the documentation records in a safe place

4.1 Keep inventory and catalogue records in a place with little humidity, and with

minimum temperature change;

4.2 Make duplicates of these records and deposit them in other locales (such as with the bishop or in a research

center) as a matter of precaution against accidental destruction of the records.

Maraming Salamat

Economy & Finance

Documentation Of Artifacts Vigan