Collection Committee Survey

The Society for Historical Archaeology Collections and Curation Committee (CCC) wants to know what historical archaeological collections are in need of collections-based research. The CCC has put together a short online survey for repositories to complete.

OMG, this collection is a GOLD mine! (arcgis.com)

The goals of the survey are 1) To identify collections that need and/or deserve collections-based research; 2) To identify major characteristics of that collection; 3) To understand the condition of that collection. 

This survey is not intended to provide all the information concerning a collection but help connect potential researchers with repositories, help refine research goals (and therefore requests), and, in the end, help repositories address collections that deserve attention. 

The survey is optional and rolling, there is no deadline to complete the survey. The survey is based on the collection and can be completed for as many collections as desired. After completing the survey, the repository does not have to do anything. It will be the responsibility of any potential collections-based researcher to reach out to the repository to discuss things further.

Things to Remember:

  • This survey is currently intended for historical collections only.

  • This survey is optional.

  • This survey is ongoing, there is no deadline. 

  • This survey can be completed more than once, for as many collections as desired.

  • Please only include collections that the repository owns.

  • A repository’s answers (survey results) will be made available as an exported spreadsheet. 

  • Survey results will eventually be shared via hyperlink on the SHA Archaeological Repository Survey* page (https://sha.org/resources/archaeological-repository-survey/) as well as on the Repository Dashboard:

Desktop Version: SHA Repository Map_Dashboard (arcgis.com)

Mobile Version: SHA Repository Map_Dashboard Mobile (arcgis.com)

  • Survey results will be accessible to the SHA member community. 

  • It will be the responsibility of any potential collections-based researcher to reach out to the repository, after viewing the survey results.

  • If a repository wishes to update anything, after submitting answers, please inform CCC.

*If your repository has not completed the 2020 Archaeological Repository Survey, we strongly encourage you to do so. If you have completed the 2020 Survey, and any of your information has since changed, please let Kerry Gonzalez (kschamel@gmail.com), Chair of the CCC know.