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DocuSign Envelope ID: 16F7E188 -42F5- 4144- AF1B- 934E4ACOFE59 <br />c. Artifact Labeling <br />Artifacts greater than one inch in size should be labeled. If all artifacts in a bag are smaller <br />than one inch, a minimum of one artifact should be labeled per bag. Artifacts should also be <br />labeled in situations where objects from two different proveniences are going to be bagged <br />together, such as refits or cross - mended fragments. Otherwise, it is not necessary to <br />individually label artifacts on the artifact's surface. <br />Labeling should be done using a lacquer basecoat and topcoat (such as Acryloid B72 or <br />B67), with the information written clearly in archival ink (such as Pigma Micron pens) <br />between the two coats. If possible, labels should be positioned so that they are not visible on <br />the side of the artifact most likely to be photographed. <br />For more information on proper artifact labeling, see the NPS artifact labeling guidelines, <br />which are found in Chapter 8: Collections Management of their Managing Archaeological <br />Collections online publication. <br />d. Packaging <br />1. Artifact Bags <br />Artifacts must be completely dry before packing into artifact bags. <br />Artifact bags should be clear, archival- quality, acid -free, polyethylene storage bags, and <br />be a minimum of 4 -mil thick. Bags with white blocks for labeling are preferred. Paper <br />bags will not be accepted for permanent artifact curation storage. <br />Artifact bags should have a self - sealing, zip -lock closer. Open -ended bags will not be <br />accepted for curation as they are unreliable and compromise the integrity of the <br />collection when tape, staples, or twist -ties fail. <br />Information should be written on the bags with permanent marker. If bags with white <br />blocks are used, the information should be written on the white block area. <br />For collections produced by Phase I surveys, artifacts need only be bagged according to <br />provenience. However, for proveniences that have an artifact count of 15 or greater, <br />artifacts should be separated into interior bags by material type. The minimum <br />information that should be included on these interior artifact bags is the 12 -digit catalog <br />number. Interior bags should be placed together into an overall provenience bag, which <br />should be labeled with the site number, 12 -digit catalog number, and all other <br />appropriate provenience information, such as date of excavation and excavator(s) initials. <br />For large collections generated by assessment, data recovery, or other research projects, <br />artifacts should be bagged by provenience and material type (see Sorting and Cataloging <br />section above). These bags should be labeled in permanent ink with the 12 -digit catalog <br />number and material/ specimen number if assigned, along with all other appropriate <br />provenience information. Bags containing the same material from different proveniences <br />may be bagged together in larger bags. <br />Artifact bags from multiple proveniences within the same site may be grouped together <br />into larger bags. Catalog number ranges should be marked on these larger bags that have <br />multiple proveniences from the same site bagged within them. <br />North Carolina Oce of State Archaeology — Archaeological Investigation Standard and Guidelines December 2017) Page 33 <br />