Registration
Immediate registration of the recovered artefacts is an essential element of any archaeological fieldwork.
The site registrar has an important role, ensuring that provenance details (the location of an object) are immediately recorded. This also includes documenting the object, for instance by making a sketch, and recording basic dimensions, as well as transferring locational details to the artefact register.
The registrar works closely with the expedition photographer, whose job includes photographing the objects as soon as possible after recovery and ensuring that images are scanned and digitised for record purposes.
All these details, and a photograph of the object, are kept on the artefact record sheet, which represents one of the core data sets for each object.
The registrar also works closely with the on-site conservator, who ensures that objects will not deteriorate while basic registration tasks are being carried out.