Documenting Your Collections
Info-Muse Network Documentation Guide

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Material (Physical Description)

Definition:

Observations:

1. This field contains the list of materials used in making the object.
2. For better search results in your database, avoid a large variety of terms; draw up an authority list and add keywords as necessary.¹

Entry rules:

1. Enter a generic term for the material, followed by a comma, a space and the specific term.
   Example

   	Object Name	cup
   	Material	metal, gold

2. When you have the same generic term for two specific terms, repeat the generic term before each specific term. Separate the entries by a semicolon followed by a space.
   Example

   	Object Name	textile fragment
   	Material	fibre, cotton; fibre, silk

3. When the specific term is unknown, simply enter the generic term.
   Example

   	Object Name	statuette
   	Material	stone

4. Enter the names of the materials used, from the most predominant to the least predominant. Multiple terms should be separated by a semicolon followed by a space.
   Example

   Record for a bark basket stitched with a leather strip

   	Object Name	basket
   	Material	bark; skin, leather

5. If you are unsure whether your information is correct, include a space and a question mark after the keyword.
6. If the information is missing and no research has been conducted to identify the material, leave this field blank.
7. If, even after conducting research, you are unable to identify the material, enter "unknown".
   Example

   	Object Name	container ?
   	Material	unknown