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Globality – revised
The “global” record is such primarily with regard to emplacement. Once the elements are extracted from their locational context in the matrix of the soil, they are be studied according to criteria that are not properly archaeological, but are of course indispensable to achieve a full semiotic and hermeneutic understanding of the data.
At that point, the notion “globality” takes on a different aspect: pertinent observations refer to a target (this wall, this sherd, etc.) that has been extracted from iuts locational context and is available as such for interpretation. What remains “global” is the fact that any such item, however small and seemingly insignificant, is designated as a target: it is what we called the “dignity of the fragment” (article).
At that point, each element that has been so defined remains open for further analysis, in an open ended fashion: it is no longer necessary to keep every observation as originally made, which also impacts on globality.
We may distinguish three stages in this post-emplacement study of the elements, and we will illustrate this using as an example A16.108, a sealing with seal impression, giving the chronological sequence of procedures as implemented.
Back to top: The nature of the record – 2
1. Identification at excavation time
- September 11, 2002: the object is excavated and the data are given in the stratigraphic record.
- September 11, 2002: on the same day, the object is curated by the conservator.
Back to top: The nature of the record – 2