A Grammar of the Archaeological Record (Version 2, Beta release)

I. The System. Archive structure

Folders

Giorgio Buccellati – November 2009, July 2025

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Folders and digital books

There are three types of folders, depending on two factors:

  1. whether or not they correspond to distinct websites or digital books, and
  2. whether or not the format of the labels is restricted by canonical considerations in the specific sense that they contain files of a fixed format, used by programs (a non-canonical folder contains files that are non-systemic and are used as an open system).



This may be rendered graphically as follows:

type matching
website
canonical
format
content example website or format
1 yes yes methodological GRM GRM
unit books A16, OH2 A16, OH2
area books JP JP
sitewide MZS MZS
topical TCR TCR
2 no yes photos V22 V (for Visuals)
plus seasons's number
drawings W23 W (for draWings)
plus seasons's number
3 no no photos (original) V22-VDT see list below
undefined ZE see list below

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Type 1: UGRS websites

Since all folders in type 1 have matching websites, a complete list may be found in the inventory of UGRS websites.

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Type 2: Photos and drawings

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Canonical

Following is a list of all folders containing photos and drawings in their canonical format.

folder year's code year
photos drawings
V00 W00 questions
and problems
V01 W01 4 1984
V02 W02 5 1985
V03 W03 6 1986
V04 W04 7 1987
V05 W05 8 1988
V05A W05A 8A 1989
V06 W06 A 1990
V06A W06A B 1991
V07 W07 C 1992
V08 W08 D 1993
V08A W08A E 1994
V08B W08B F 1995
V09 W09 G 1996
V10 W10 H 1997
V11 W11 I 1998
V12 W12 J 1999
V13 W13 K 2000
V14 W14 L 2001
V15 W15 M 2002
V16 W16 N 2003
V17 W17 O 2004
V18 W18 P 2005
V19 W19 Q 2006
V20 W20 R 2007
V21 W21 S 2008
V22 W22 T 2009
V23 W23 U 2010
V23A W23A V 2011 [old V63]
V23B W23B W 2012 [old V64]
V23C W23C X 2013 [old V65]
V23D W23D Y 2014 [old V66]
V23E W23E Z 2015 [old V67]
V23F W23F ZA 2016 [old V68]
V23G W23G ZB 2017 [old V69]
V23H W23H ZC 2018 [old V6p]
V23N W23N ZI 2024
V23O W23O ZJ 2025
V80 misc [change]
V90 misc object [change]
V94 boxes sent from Hauser to UCLA
V95 from Ken Garrett
V99 slides for presentations
VC videoclips [change]

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Non-canonical photo folders

Before digital photography, photos were physically stored as negatives or color slides.

Since the beginning of digital photography, we have been keeping the original digital photos in separate folders, labeled with the same label as the canonical folder (e.g., V22), followed by the code VD with the season’s code (e. g., VDT). Here is a list of these folders:

folder year
V12-VDJ 1999
V14-VDL 2001
V15-VDM 2002
V16-VDN 2003
V17-VDO 2004
V18-VDP 2005
V19-VDQ 2006
V20-VDR 2007
V21-VDS 2008
V22-VDT 2009
V23-VDU 2010

Photos were then processed and “canonized.” Here is an example.

  • In the first column there is a list of the photos as originally taken and downloaded by the photographer. When a folder is processed, a double caret or circumflex is placed in front of it (in gthis case: “^^VDT726 1250 dM J1 J5(done)”, with the addition of the note “(done)”.
  • In the second and third column there is the new folder and file, with new labels, for the photos that have been selected.
  • Only the best photos were selected. All the original files, including the ones that were not selected, remain in the original folder.
original photos, all in folder
V22-VDT/^^VDT726 1250 dM J1 J5(done)
canonical
folderfile (with link to view)
VDT726 1250 dM 001.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 002 J5 v158.JPGV22d20V22d2024 J2v158 T727 dM.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 003.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 004.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 005.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 006.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 007.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 008.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 009 J1 v352.JPGV22d10V22d1036 J1v352 T726 dM.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 010.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 011 J1v353.JPGV22d10V22d1038 J1v353 T726 dM.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 012 J1 v353a.JPGV22d10V22d1037 J1v353a T726 dM.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 013.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 014 J1 v353b.JPGV22d10V22d1039 J1v353b T726 dM.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 015.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 016 J1 v354.JPGV22d10V22d1040 J1v354 T726 dM.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 017 J1 v355.JPGV22d10V22d1041 J1v355 T726 dM.JPG
VDT726 1250 dM 018 J1 v355a.JPGV22d10V22d1042 J1v355a T726 dM.JPG

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Type 3: Special folders

The letters X, Y and Z are reserved for special folders as follows.

X special indices
Y surveying
ZA synopses (seasons, initials, etc.)
ZI inventory
ZR region
ZS storage
ZT transfers (objects sent to Museum, shipment of samples, etc.)
ZSB basic study collection
ZSC conservation collection
ZSD main display collection
ZSN natural science collection (seeds, soil)
ZSP basic study colletion
ZSS pottery library
ZST technical display collection
ZSZ zoology collection

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