Documenting Your Collections
Info-Muse Network Documentation Guide

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Begin Date (Identification)

Definition:

Observations:

1. N.B.: This field is used only when the begin date is known.
2. This field is used in conjunction with the End Date field.
3. If only one date is known, enter the information in the End Date field and leave the Begin Date field blank.
   Example

   An armoire produced in 1921

   	Object Name	armoire
   	Begin Date
   	End Date	1921

4. If a range of dates is known, enter the oldest date in the Begin Date field and the most recent date in the End Date field.
   Example

   A sculpture begun in 1917 and completed in 1921

   	Object Name	sculpture
   	Begin Date	1917
   	End Date	1921

Entry rules:

1. Enter the begin date in the form YYYY (Y for "year").
   Example

   	Begin Date	1957

2. If the begin date has fewer than four digits, you may add zeros to simplify the production of lists.
   Example

   	Begin Date	0050

3. If the month and day on which production began are known, enter the information in the form YYYY dash MM dash DD, in numbers only (Y for "Year," M for "Month" and D for "Day").
   Example

   	Begin Date	1951-12-22

4. Use the abbreviation "c" (for circa) when the object may have been produced within a period of five years before or five years after the date indicated. Enter the date followed by a space and "c".
   Example

   	Begin Date	1957 c

5. Use the abbreviation "L" (for "later than") if the object could have been produced at the earliest on the date indicated, or later. Enter the date followed by a space and "L".
   Example

   	Begin Date	1957-03-14 L

6. If you are unsure whether your information is correct, include a space and a question mark after the date.
   Example

   	Begin Date	1957 ?

7. BC dates should be preceded by a minus sign "-".
   Example

   	Begin Date	-2500

8. To delimit a century or part of a century, you may use the Begin Date and End Date fields as follows:¹
   Example 1

   An object produced in the 19th century

   	Begin Date	1800 L
   	End Date	1899 P

   Example 2

   An object produced in the early 19th century

   	Begin Date	1800 L
   	End Date	1825 P

   Example 3

   An object produced in the mid-19th century

   	Begin Date	1825 L
   	End Date	1875 P

   Example 4

   An object produced in the late 19th century

   	Begin Date	1875 L
   	End Date	1899 P

   Example 5

   An object produced in the 1920s

   	Begin Date	1920 L
   	End Date	1929 P

9. This field may not contain more than one entry.