Storage Wars: Solving the Archaeological Curation Crisis?

Whether sponsored by academic institutions, governments, international agencies, or private landowners, the results of archaeological investigations are the same: the production of knowledge and an accumulation of things. The material manifestations (artifacts and samples) and the accompanying daily notes, digital records, maps, photographs, and plans together comprise a comprehensive record of the past. Once these items have been amassed, they are deposited in dig houses, magazines, museums, repositories, storage containers, and sometimes in personal basements and garages to be held in perpetuity. Across the globe, storage (here implying curation and permanent care) is one of the most pressing issues facing archaeology today. The following examines the curation crisis and some of the traditional and innovative solutions to the storage wars, arguing that rather than something that is viewed as a time-consuming, costly afterthought; curation should be an integral part of archaeological praxis.