Documenting Your Collections
Info-Muse Network Documentation Guide

Les guides électroniques de la SMQ

Decorative Motif (Physical Description)

Field to be used with an authority listField used for archaeology collections (object data and site data)Société des musées québécois Info-Muse database field

Definition:

  • This field contains the description of decorative motifs on the object.

Observation:

  • For better search results in your database, avoid a large variety of terms; draw up an authority list and add keywords as necessary.

Entry rules:

  1. Enter the names of the decorative motifs in the singular form, even if there are several similar motifs.
    Example

     Object Name vase
    Decorative MotifGreek
  2. Enter a keyword describing the decorative motif of the object.
    Example

     Object Name vase
    Decorative Motif Lanoraie cross
      Description The cross was made by impressing the clay with a string.
  3. Enter any descriptive details in the Description field.
    Example

     Object Nameplaque
    Decorative Motif figure; spiral
      Description Representation of a man holding a torch in his hands, both in a spiral
  4. If you are unsure whether your information is correct, include a space and a question mark after the word.
  5. This field may contain multiple entries separated by a semicolon followed by a space.
    Example

     Object Name bracelet
    Decorative Motif knotwork; stripe
      Description Knotwork on the two edges and a stripe in the centre.

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