Curation of Federally Owned Archeological Collections at NASA Langley Research Center
As a Federal agency, NASA has a moral and legal obligation to the public to manage the archeological heritage resources under its control. Archeological sites are unique, nonrenewable resources that must be preserved so that future generations may experience and interpret the material remains of the past. These sites are protected by a wide array of federal regulations. These regulations are intended to ensure that our nation's cultural heritage is preserved for the study and enjoyment of future generations. Once a site has been excavated, all that remains of it are the artifacts and associated records which, taken together, allow researchers to reconstruct the past. With the contextual information provided by associated records such as field notes, maps and photographs, archeological collections can provide important information about life in the past. An integral component of the federal archeology program is the curation of these databases so that qualified scholars will have access to them in years to come. Standards for the maintenance of archeological collections have been codified by various professional organizations and by the federal government. These guidelines focus on providing secure, climate-controlled archival storage conditions for the collections and an adequate study area in which researchers can examine the artifacts and documents. In the 1970's and early 1980's, a group of NASA employees formed the LRC Historical and Archeological Society (LRCHAS) in order to pursue studies of the colonial plantations that ha been displaced by Langley Research Center (LaRC). They collected data on family histories and land ownership as well as conducting archeological surveys and excavations at two important 17th-20th century plantation sites in LaRC, Cloverdale and Chesterville. The excavations produced a wealth of information in the form of artifacts, photographs, maps and other documents. Unfortunately, interest on the part of the LRCHAS membership waned before a report was written, and since 1982 the artifacts have moldered in a flimsy trailer with no climate controls, which had once served as a field laboratory but which threatened to become a tomb for the collection. A recent analysis of Langley's cultural resources by Gray & Pape, Inc. recommended that the collection be organized, cataloged, and placed in a proper curation facility in accordance with Federal regulations. The project for the LARSS program was to research curation standards, organize the collection, catalog it, and prepare it for transfer to a facility which could provide adequate long-term curation conditions for the artifacts and documents. The first phase was to organize the artifacts, which were lying about the lab in various stages of cleaning, analysis, and conservation. Once all of the artifacts from the various excavation units and levels had been regrouped, they were cleaned and/or repackaged in archivally-stable materials. A basic catalog was prepared which will provide interested parties with a rough idea of what we have and where it can be found. Another aspect of the project was to organize the records left by the LRCHAS. Bundles of papers, photographs, and field data found in every corner and drawer of the laboratory trailer were put into order and, where appropriate, copies were made on acid-free Permabond paper for long term storage. Finally, the entire collection and most of the lab equipment was transferred into a secure, climate controlled room which will serve as an archive and study space for qualified scholars interested in exploring LaRC's rich historical heritage.