Our Summer with the Ralph S. and Rose L. Solecki Papers and Artifacts Project

This summer we have been interning in the National Museum of Natural History’s Anthropology Department at the Smithsonian’s Museum Support Center with Project Archivist and Archaeological Collections Technician Molly Kamph on the Ralph S. and Rose L. Solecki Papers and Artifacts Project. Our work includes cataloging, rehousing, and photographing artifacts that were excavated by archaeologists Ralph and Rose Solecki at the important sites of Shanidar Cave and Zawi Chemi Shanidar in northern Iraq, as well as the digitization of archival materials created by the Soleckis during their archaeological work and analysis of these sites.

Artifacts from the Solecki collections (Accession 220078) in permanent storage at the Smithsonian's Museum Support Center [2]. 

The Solecki Project, which focused on processing the Ralph S. and Rose L. Solecki papers and cataloging artifacts excavated and collected by Ralph and Rose Solecki, is now in its late stages [1, 2]. During our internships we measured, labelled, and associated barcode tags with artifacts stemming from the Soleckis’ excavations at Shanidar Cave and Zawi Chemi Shanidar and moved these artifacts into permanent storage. We were then better able to visualize how best to consolidate the storage locations of both cataloged and uncataloged parts of the collection. Over twenty boxes of soon-to-be cataloged artifacts were moved to the same aisle as the cataloged artifacts. Almost all of the artifacts, except larger objects like stone querns and archaeobiological material that require special storage conditions, are stored in close proximity to each other, which makes the collection more accessible to researchers and staff.

Over-sized Querns from the Solecki Collection (Accession 220078) in permanent storage the Smithsonian's Museum Support Center  [2]

Other on-going tasks that we undertook during our internships included artifact photography and digitization of field and artifact data cards. After completing the cataloging of artifacts from Shanidar Cave and Zawi Chemi Shanidar, we compiled a list of objects to be photographed. The artifacts were pulled from storage and brought to a photography station in the Anthropology Collections Processing Lab. The artifacts were photographed and their Smithsonian catalog numbers were printed on the image. These image files are now linked to their catalog records and the Anthropology Department’s collections database, and are available to view on the Anthropology Collections Search web page. On the archival side of the project, we also started digitizing a large collection of field and artifact data cards featuring photographs, sketches, and notes relating to the Soleckis’ excavations and artifacts that will be uploaded into the Smithsonian Online Virtual Archives finding aid for the Ralph S. and Rose L. Solecki papers. 

Photography Station at the Smithsonian's Museum Support Center's Anthropology Processing Lab. 

All of the tasks completed this summer will enhance accessibility to the archival and artifact collections from Shanidar Cave and Zawi Chemi Shanidar, and contribute to ongoing research on Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans, as well as the field of archaeology as a whole. Through this internship, we will take what we have learned about artifact handling, cataloging, and artifact and archival digitization into our future academic and professional careers.

The Ralph S. and Rose L. Solecki Papers and Artifacts Project was made possible by two grants from the Smithsonian Institution’s Collections Care and Preservation Fund.

Sidney Ascher and Benjamin Norton, Interns, Summer 2019

National Museum of Natural History’s Department of Anthropology

Sources

[1] The Ralph S. and Rose L. Solecki papers, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

[2] Accession 220078. Department of Anthropology. National Museum of Natural History. Smithsonian Institution.