National Occupational Standards in
Archaeological Practice

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AE3 Identify and describe archaeological items

AE3.2 Identify and classify an item

Performance Required

This will involve:

1. Examining the item without putting it at risk
2. Collecting all available information relevant to the identification of the item, and assessing the information for its reliability
3. Assessing any deficiencies or discrepancies in the information and seeking reasons for them
4. Identifying accurately any unusual and distinctive features of the item
5. Identifying clearly the item's relationship and significance to other relevant items
6. Using all relevant information to identify the item
7. Identifying the item clearly and providing a justification for the identification
8. Recording the results of the identification process accurately and clearly in an appropriate format

Occupational Context

1. Information
   • location of discovery
   • associated find data
   • composition / features
   • historical / cultural / educational significance
2. Deficiencies or discrepancies
   • lack of specificity in identification
   • inconsistencies in historical profile
   • unknown or unreliable sources
   • inconclusive explanations
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. Appropriate format
   • as part of a portfolio/case log book
   • within site record system
   • for purposes of explicit presentation and interpretation
   • in terms of its immediate or long term use

Knowledge Requirements

You need to know and understand how to:

• Assess the reliability of information, and to identify discrepancies
• Provide a justification for an identification, and what people need to assure them of its accuracy
• Record the results of the identification
• Use and combine description formats, e.g. photographs and text

You need to know about:

Research Resources

• Supplementary information sources that must be explored include: previous owners/holders, libraries and archives, databases, people such as colleagues, publications and other similar sources

Methods of identification

• Where to find the main sources of information on types of item
• What information is normally required to identify an item
• The level of accuracy that is likely from the sources investigated

Classification systems

• The normal features of types of items classified

Required Skills

You should demonstrate:

• Research and comparative skills

Evidence Required

You should provide evidence that you can identify and classify an item

The candidate should be questioned, based upon the documentation provided, to explore how they identify an item and determine its features and significance.

Evidence Rules

N/A

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Today's date: 3/9/2010
This page last updated: 6/8/2007 11:58