National Occupational Standards in
Archaeological Practice

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AC6 Store items

AC6.1 Identify the appropriate environment in which to maintain and protect items

Performance Required

This will involve:

1. Identifying the optimum preservation conditions for each of the different material types present
2. Obtaining specialist advice on optimum environmental conditions
3. Monitoring the environment of the storage area(s) prior to installation to ensure they meet specifications
4. Ensuring that the storage environment is also consistent with security and Health and Safety considerations
5. Assessing accurately the resources to implement specified procedures and passing details to the relevant people
6. Recording and disseminating recommendations and procedures according to requirements

Occupational Context

1. 1Preservation conditions
   • Storage provision
   • Human and material resources
   • Environmental conditions
   • Security arrangements
   • Access
2. Material types may include
   • Ceramic
   • Metal (ferrous/non-ferrous)
   • Glass
   • Stone
   • Bone
   • Wood
   • Leather
   • Cloth
   • Paper
   • Mineral sediment
   • Organic sediment
3. Environmental conditions
   • controlled temperature/humidity
   • controlled/limited light
   • air quality: clean, pollutant-free
   • protection from pests
   • protection from shock/ vibration
   • use of biological and chemical agents
4. Monitoring
   • Through observation
   • Through measurement
   • Through data analysis
5. Relevant people
   • supervisors/ managers
   • professional experts/ consultants
   • maintenance and support staff
   • researchers

Knowledge Requirements

You need to know and understand how to:

Assess the accuracy of recording equipment and arrange for its regular calibration or maintenance

You need to know about:

Environments for storing archaeological items

• For different items, materials
• In terms of security, Health and Safety implications
• Relating to access

Equipment and techniques for monitoring, recording and maintaining appropriate conditions

Required Skills

You should demonstrate:

• Using the technology sensitively to retrieve accurate and useful readings

Evidence Required

You should provide evidence that you can identify the appropriate environment in which to maintain and protect items

The candidate should be questioned, based upon Portfolio or case study evidence of having

• located and installed finds or samples into a new site

Evidence Rules

• The candidate should produce evidence of storing both stable and unstable items on at least two contrasting sites.

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Today's date: 22/11/2008
This page last updated: 6/8/2007 10:58