Cataloging and Computerizing the Paul S. Martin Collection of Archaeological Materials at The Field Museum

在国家科学基金会的支持下，菲尔德自然历史博物馆将建立保罗·S·马丁考古藏品的最新目录，将其输入电子数据库，并通过博物馆的万维网连接提供。马丁的考古生涯始于20世纪30年代，在美国西南部度过了40多年。他的发掘和由此产生的藏品构成了一种独特的全国资源，代表了单个人在两个相对较小的地区的协调努力：西南部科罗拉德区和亚利桑那州中东部/新墨西哥州中西部。马丁在这两个地区进行了广泛的调查和挖掘，并将他的田野工作的大量系统样本带回了菲尔德博物馆。它们伴随着大量的笔记和照片，这使得它们对解决许多现代研究问题很有用。马丁在挖掘和调查方法上一丝不苟，他的工作为探索进化过程、社会关系、文化史和人类行为等问题提供了坚实的数据基础。不仅展示了大量的陶瓷和石器文物，而且材料还包括数万个玉米芯、种子和其他考古植物学样本，这些样本可以用来了解植物的遗传学、进化和过去的环境。目前，许多藏品都没有编目，以前编目的物品由少量物品组成，而不是电子清单。没有详细的出处信息，文物描述、文物材料类型或场地特征的一致性有限。因此，研究人员要有效地利用这些藏品是极其困难的。在国家科学基金会的支持下，编目信息将得到升级，其余材料将输入系统。将建立一个电子数据库。将更新所有相关的“硬拷贝”记录，以与更正和升级的电子数据库保持一致。出处数据和文物描述将被输入到目录书籍中。这将极大地方便人们获取整个藏品，并为在美国西南部工作的大量考古学家提供更好的服务。`

With National Science Foundation support, the Field Museum of Natural History will construct an up to date catalogue of items in the Paul S. Martin Archaeological Collection, enter it into an electronic data base and make this available via the Museum's World Wide Web connection. Martin spent his archaeological career, which began in the 1930s and spanned more than 40 years, in the U.S.Southwest. His excavations and resultant collections constitute a unique national resource representing the coordinated efforts of a single individual in two relatively small areas: southwest Colorade and East Central Arizona/West Central New Mexico. Martin surveyed and excavated extensively in both areas and brought back to the Field Museum large systematic samples of his fieldwork. They are accompanied by extensive notes and photographs which make them useful for addressing many modern research questions. Martin was meticulous in his methods of excavation and survey and his work provides a solid data base for exploring issues of evolutionary precess, social relations, culture history and human behavior. Not only is a large corpus of ceramics and lithic artifacts represented, but hte materials include tens of thousands of corn cobs, seeds and other archaeobotanical samples which can be used to understand plant genetics, evolution and past environments. Currently, much of the collection is uncatalogued and the previously catalogued items consist of litte more than an electronic list. No detailed provenience information is included and there is limited consistency to the artifact descriptions, artifact material types or site characteristics. Therefore it is extremely difficult for researchers to use the collection in an effective manner. With NSF support, the catalogued information will be upgraded and the remaining materials will be entered into the system. An electronic database will be constructed. All pertinent `hard copy` records will be updated to agree with the corrected and upgraded electronic databases. Provenience data and artifact descriptions will be entered into the catalogue books. Access to the entire collection wiill ths be greatly facilitated and greatlyh improved service can be provided to the large number of archaeologists working in the Southwest USA. `