Documenting Your Collections
Info-Muse Network Documentation Guide

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Object Category (Identification)

Definition:

Observations:

1. The Info-Muse Network suggests two systems—one for ethnology, history and historical archaeology museums¹ and the other for fine arts and decorative arts museums.² Choose the one that best suits your mission and use it to classify all the objects in your collections. For more information on the Info-Muse Network classification systems, see documentation tip No. 3 (in French only).
2. Using the Object Sub-category and Object Name fields with the Object Category field will give you a block of information, allowing you to add more details to your searches and obtain better search results.
   Example 1

   Classification of a silver knife in a museum of ethnology, history or historical archaeology

   	Object Category	Tools & Equipment for Materials
   	Object Sub-category	Food Service T&E
   	Object Name	knife
   	Material	metal, silver

   Example 2

   Classification of a silver knife in a museum of fine arts or decorative arts

   	Object Category	Decorative Arts
   	Object Sub-category	Gold- and Silversmithing
   	Object Name	knife
   	Material	metal, silver

3. For paleohistorical (or prehistorical) archaeology museums, objects are classified mainly on the basis of typological or morphological criteria. In that case, you can use a classification system different from the Info-Muse system, one that complies with current usage in the discipline in question. If so, leave the Object Category field blank and enter this information in other fields in your database.

Entry rules:

1. Enter the full name of the category, making sure to respect the spelling prescribed by the category list in the classification systems.
2. This field may contain up to two entries. Start by entering the category you consider most important for searches, followed by a semicolon, a space, and the second category.
   Example

   Classification of a votive slab in a museum of ethnology, history or historical archaeology

   	Object Category	Communication Artifacts; Structures
   	Object Sub-category	Ceremonial Artifact; Site Feature
   	Object Name	votive slab

3. If two sub-categories are part of the same category, it is not necessary to enter the category name more than once.
   Example

   Classification of an Indian scraper used for skin, bone and wood, in a museum of ethnology, history or historical archaeology

   	Object Category	Tools & Equipment for Materials
   	Object Sub-category	Leather, Horn & Shellworking T&E; Woodworking T&E
   	Object Name	scraper