National Occupational Standards in
Archaeological Practice

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AE3 Identify and describe archaeological items

AE3.1 Provide a description of an item

Performance Required

This will involve:

1. Examining the item without putting it at risk
2. Summarising accurately the history, significance, age and provenance of the item in sufficient detail to meet the requirements of users
3. Describing accurately any unusual and distinctive features of the item
4. Describing clearly the item's relationship to other relevant items
5. Describing accurately the item's condition and the care it needs
6. Recording descriptions in formats that are suitable for users
7. Complying at all times with health and safety procedures

Occupational Context

1. Items
   • Incomplete / complete
   • Undamaged / damaged
   • Artefacts
   • structures
2. Users
   • curators
   • education officers
   • conservators
   • archaeologists
   • collectors
3. Relevant items
   • in a technical or compositional context
   • in a historical or temporal context
   • in a situational or geographical context
   • in a social or cultural context
   • in an interpretational context
4. Formats
   • Graphical / visual
   • Verbal / written
   • Formally documented
   • Attractively / educationally described

Knowledge Requirements

You need to know and understand how to:

• Research further relevant information e.g. on previous owners ; on other similar items
• Access information on conservation needs, including interpreting conservation reports
• Describe the item for different people and purposes
• Use and combine description formats, e.g. photographs and text

You need to know about:

Risk

• The normal and specific risks to the item
• The examination processes that cause the least risk to the item

Supplementary research

• Where to locate data, how to access it
• Presentation of complimentary research information

Interpretation/ Description for an audience

• The normal features of the class of item
• What people wish to know about the item
• The problems involved with identifying incomplete items

Health and Safety regulations and requirements

Required Skills

You should demonstrate:

• Handling fragile items

Evidence Required

You should provide evidence that you can provide a description of an item

The candidate should be questioned, based upon the documentation provided, to explore how they

• supply a description of complete, damaged or incomplete items.

The description should be written, with photographic records and illustrations where necessary.

Evidence Rules

N/A

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