With National Science Foundation support, the Museum of Anthropology at the University of Kansas will continue to upgrade its archaeological collections. These prehistoric materials from the Northern and Central Plains of the United States form the core of its archaeological holdings. The ca. 400,000 specimens were acquired as a result of over 110 scientific field projects undertaken by members of the Museum staff since 1945. Earlier projects focussed on the reconstruction of the culture history of the region while more recent efforts have been directed toward the study of Woodland and Late Archaic cultures with an emphasis on the reconstruction of environment and settlement patterns. Photographic records constitute an important source of archaeological information and provide primary excavation documentation. The Kansas collection includes ca. 10,000 photographs and these form the core of this conservation project. The photographs will be properly curated to help stabilize the present rate of deterioration caused by poor storage and fluctuating humidity levels. Copies will be made of negatives of selected prints; slides used most often for teaching will also be duplicated. A computerized inventory will also be established to serve as a research guide. This project is important for several reasons. It will help to preserve basic materials important to the understanding of U.S. prehistory. It will also make this body of data more easily accessible for scientific research.
