Documenting Your Collections
Info-Muse Network Documentation Guide

Les guides électroniques de la SMQ

Site Dates (Site Data)

Field used for archaeology collections (object data and site data)Société des musées québécois Info-Muse database field

Definition:

  • This field contains the absolute and relative dates that can be assigned to the site.

Observation:

  • Use this field only if the date associated with the site was determined using a dating technique.

Entry rules:

  1. BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini) dates should must be converted to BP (Before Present).
    Example

    Site Dates2000
     and not 
     Site Dates-50
  2. Do not use abbreviations after the site dates.
  3. Enter the absolute date in the form of a series of at most eight digits, followed by a space and the standard deviation.
  4. Enter the standard deviation in the form of the date, followed by a space and ±, a space and the standard deviation.
    Example

    Site Dates 2450 ± 65
  5. Enter the relative date by indicating an interval in the form of the date, a space, "to", a space and the other date.
    Example

    Site Dates 3000 to 2000
  6. This field contains various data when the site was occupied during a period of which the beginning and ending dates are known. Enter the earliest date, followed by a semicolon and a space, then the most recent date.
    Example

    Site Dates 8000 ± 100; 700 ± 70
  7. Enter other information, such as the dating technique and laboratory analysis number, in the Site Description field.
    Example

    Site Dates 2390 ± 40; 2050 ± 30
     Site Description Site dating technique: radiocarbon. The laboratory radiocarbon analysis numbers are GSC-123 and GSC-124.
  8. If the site has been unoccupied at times during the occupation period entered in this field, make a note in the Site Description field.
    Example

    Site Dates 4400 ± 100; 990 ± 50
     Site Description According to current data, it seems that the site was unoccupied between the earliest and latest dates.

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