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Artefact Catalog Codes - London Museum of Archaeology

In cataloging artefacts, various code schemes are frequently used for computer entry. While one of the early purposes of these, to minimize space in computer files, has been made redundant by cheap very large disk storage, the codes are still commonly used to expedite data entry for computer processing. The code scheme used by the London Museum of Archaeology has become something of a de facto standard being used by avocational archaeologists as well as consultants. As any move to greater standardization is a good thing, we present here with the kind permission of the London Museum of Archaeology, the most current version of the codes. Further as the London Museum of Archaeology is the natural spot for final disposition of any artefactual material from the London area, use of the museum's codes will facilitate encorporation to the existing collections.

The Museum's catalog system/code was initially conceived by Bill Finlayson for his research in the Crawford Lake area in the early 1970s, and formalized for the Museum's Draper site project in 1975. A full description of the system and procedures for cataloging is contained in an Appendix to Bill's Draper site report (The 1975 and 1978 Rescue Excavations at the Draper Site: Introduction and Settlement Patterns, National Museum of Man Mercury Series Paper 130, 1985) and this publication should be used as a reference. The code is very flexible and can easily be changed/modified to meet specific needs or characteristics of the site being cataloged.

While the codes are detailed below, the following file is made available in DBASE format and can be imported into most newer word processors or spreadsheets to be printed or used as you see fit.

Dbase format (.dbf)  

Artefacts Codes of the London Museum of Archaeology

ARTICLASS ARTICODE CODELETS FULLDESC
Pre-contact Artefacts      
  0    
POTTERY 1 RSH Rim Sherd
POTTERY 2 FRS Fragmentary Rim Sherd
POTTERY 3 NSS Neck/Shoulder Sherd
POTTERY 4 BSH Body Sherd
POTTERY 5 FSH Fragmentary Sherd
POTTERY 6 JVE Juvenile Vessel
POTTERY 7 HDL Handle
POTTERY 8 CFO Ceramic Foot
POTTERY 9 BAS Basal Sherd
POTTERY 10 APQ Applique
POTTERY 11 VES Reconstructed Vessel >50%
POTTERY 12 DBS Decorated Body Sherd
POTTERY 13 MFS Modified Ceramic Sherd
POTTERY 14 EFF Ceramic Effigy
POTTERY 15    
POTTERY 16    
POTTERY 17    
POTTERY 18    
POTTERY 19 JPT Juvenile Pottery Fragment
POTTERY 20 MPO Miscellaneous Pottery
CLAY 21 CBE Clay Bead
CLAY 22 GDI Gaming Disc
CLAY 23 LOC Lump of Clay
CLAY 24 MCO Misc. Ceramic Object
CLAY 25 CBA Ceramic Ball/Sphere
CLAY 26    
CLAY 27    
CLAY 28    
CLAY 29 DAU Daub
CLAY PIPE 30 WPP Whole Pipe
CLAY PIPE 31 PBL Pipe Bowl - Complete
CLAY PIPE 32 PEL Pipe Elbow Fragment
CLAY PIPE 33 PST Pipe Stem Fragment
CLAY PIPE 34 PCN Pipe Contents
CLAY PIPE 35 PRE Pipe Residue
CLAY PIPE 36 JPI Juvenile Pipe Bowl Fragment
CLAY PIPE 37 PSF Juvenile Pipe Stem Fragment
CLAY PIPE 38 JPF Juvenile Pipe Fragment
CLAY PIPE 39 PBF Pipe Bowl Fragment
CHIPPED LITHICS 40 UNI Uniface
CHIPPED LITHICS 41 PPO Projectile Point
CHIPPED LITHICS 42 BIF Biface
CHIPPED LITHICS 43 DRI Drill
CHIPPED LITHICS 44 SCR Scraper
CHIPPED LITHICS 45 WED Wedge
CHIPPED LITHICS 46 COR Core
CHIPPED LITHICS 47 UFL Utilized Flake
CHIPPED LITHICS 48 CDE Chipping Detritus
CHIPPED LITHICS 49 MCS Misc. Chipped Stone
CHIPPED LITHICS 50 KNI Knife
CHIPPED LITHICS 51 FHO Fish Hook
CHIPPED LITHICS 52 BUR Burin
CHIPPED LITHICS 53 BSP Burin Spall
CHIPPED LITHICS 54 PPP Preform Projectile Point
CHIPPED LITHICS 55 NOD Nodule
CHIPPED LITHICS 56 SPS Spokeshave
CHIPPED LITHICS 57 PRF Perforator
CHIPPED LITHICS 58 STR Strike-a-light
CHIPPED LITHICS 59 GRA Graver
CHIPPED LITHICS 60 PPF Projectile Point Fragment
G.& R. STONE 61 CEL Celt
G.& R. STONE 62 HAM Hammerstone
G.& R. STONE 63 ANV Anvil Stone
G.& R. STONE 64 HAN Hammer/Anvil Stone
G.& R. STONE 65 MAN Mano
G.& R. STONE 66 MET Metate
G.& R. STONE 67 ABR Abrader
G.& R. STONE 68 RST Rubbing Stone
G.& R. STONE 69 NET Netsinker
G.& R. STONE 70 FOS Fossil
G.& R. STONE 71 SBE Stone Bead
G.& R. STONE 72 SPE Stone Pendant
G.& R. STONE 73 SGD Stone Gaming Disc
G.& R. STONE 74 SPI Stone Pipe
G.& R. STONE 75 NCD Non Chert Detritus
G.& R. STONE 76 MMG Misc. Mod. Ground Stone
G.& R. STONE 77 CHS Chisel
G.& R. STONE 78 GOP Gorget/Pendant
G.& R. STONE 79 GOR Gorget
G.& R. STONE 80 GOU Gouge
G.& R. STONE 81 MOR Mortar
G.& R. STONE 82 PES Pestle
G.& R. STONE 83 GSF Ground Stone Fragment
G.& R. STONE 84 AXE Axe
G.& R. STONE 85 WHT Whetstone
G.& R. STONE 86 PIC Pick
G.& R. STONE 87 GKN Ground Stone Knife
G.& R. STONE 88 QUA Quartz Crystal
G.& R. STONE 89 GSP Ground Stone Point
G.& R. STONE 90 SEF Stone Effigy
G.& R. STONE 91 ROC Red Ochre Fragment
G.& R. STONE 92 MIC Mica Fragment
G.& R. STONE 93 CAT Catlinite/Pipestone Fragment
G.& R. STONE 94 ROK Rock (unmodified)
  95    
G.& R. STONE 96 MAU Maul
G.& R. STONE 97 BAN Bannerstone
G.& R. STONE 98 BIR Birdstone
G.& R. STONE 99 BAM Bar Amulet
G.& R. STONE 100 BOA Boatstone
BONE 101 BAW Bone Awl
BONE 102 BNE Bone Needle
BONE 103 BFT Bone Flaking Tool
BONE 104 BPP Bone Projectile Point
BONE 105 BHA Bone Harpoon
BONE 106 BBE Bone Bead
BONE 107 MDP Modified Deer Phalange
BONE 108 HSG Human Skull Gorget
BONE 109 MBN Misc. Bone Fragment
BONE 110 MHB Modified Human Bone
BONE 111 BPI Bone Pipe
BONE 112 MBA Misc. Bone Artifact
BONE 113 BCO Bone Comb
BONE 114 BHP Bone Hairpin
BONE 115 BOH Bone Handle
BONE 116 MBF Modified Bone Fragment
BONE 117 BPU Bone Punch
BONE 118 MML Modified Mandible
BONE 119 BSR Bone Scraper
BONE 120 BHR Bone Bait Holder
BONE 121 BBD Bone Band
BONE 122 BFH Bone Fish Hook
BONE 123 BDE Bone Detritus
BONE 124 BST Bone Spatula
BONE 125 MTS Modified Turtle Shell
BONE 126 BBS Bone Bead Stock
BONE 127 BBM Bone or Antler Beamer
BONE 128 BPO Bipointed Bone Object
BONE 129 TBB Toe Bone Bead
BONE 130 BPD Bone Pendant
BONE 131 BBK Bone Bodkin
BONE 132 BTU Bone Tube
BONE 133 PMK Bone Pottery Marker
BONE 134    
BONE 135    
BONE 136    
BONE 137    
BONE 138    
BONE 139    
ANTLER 141 AAW Antler Awl
ANTLER 142 AFT Antler Flaking Tool
ANTLER 143 APP Antler Projectile Point
ANTLER 144 AHA Antler Harpoon
ANTLER 145 AHN Antler Handle
ANTLER 146 ACO Antler Comb
ANTLER 147 MAA Misc. Antler Artifact
ANTLER 148 AAB Antler Arm Band
ANTLER 149 APU Antler Punch
ANTLER 150 ASC Antler Scraper
ANTLER 151 APK Antler Pick
ANTLER 152 ACH Antler Chisel
ANTLER 153 ATN Antler Tyne
ANTLER 154 MAF Modified Antler Fragment
ANTLER 155 AKN Antler Knife
  156    
ANTLER 157    
ANTLER 158    
ANTLER 159    
TEETH 161 TPE Tooth Pendant
TEETH 162 MIN Modified Incisor
TEETH 163 MTA Misc. Tooth Artifact
TEETH 164 TBE Tooth Bead
TEETH 165 MCN Modified Canine
TEETH 166 MTF Modified Tooth Fragment
  167    
TEETH 168    
TEETH 169    
TEETH 170    
SHELL 171 MCL Modified Clam Shell
SHELL 172 SHB Shell Bead
SHELL 173 MMS Misc. Modified Shell
SHELL 174 SHP Shell Pendant
SHELL 175 SHF Shell Fragment
  176    
SHELL 177    
SHELL 178    
SHELL 179    
FAUNAL 180 BAF Bone/Antler Fragments
ORGANICS 181 CPT Coprolite
PREHIST. METAL 182 NCP Native Copper Point
PREHIST. METAL 183 NCB Native Copper Bead
  184    
  185    
  186    
  187    
ROCK 190 FCR Fire Cracked Rock
FLORAL 191 CPL Carbonized Plant Remains
FLORAL 192 CHA Charcoal
FLORAL 193 CSA Carbon Sample
FLORAL 194 CAR Carbonized Artifact
FLOATATION 195 FLS Floatation Light Fraction
  196    
SOIL 197 SSA Soil Sample
Post Contact Artefacts      
  198    
WOOD 199 HWA Historic Wooden Artifact
WOOD 200 PWD Preserved Wood
COPPER 201 CAW Copper Awl
COPPER 202 CBD Copper Bead
COPPER 203 CPP Copper Projectile Point
COPPER 204 MCA Misc. Copper Artifact
COPPER 205 CRI Copper Ring
COPPER 206 CKN Copper Knife
COPPER 207 CSH Sheet Copper
MISC. METAL 208 SLG Slag
IRON 209 IAW Iron Awl
IRON 210 IAX Iron Axe
IRON 212 IKN Iron Knife
IRON 213 HOR Horseshoe
IRON 214 MIR Misc. Iron Tool
IRON 215 IPA Iron Pick Axe
IRON 216 ISP Iron Spike
METAL 217 LNS Lead Net Sinker
METAL 218 MLD Misc. Lead Artifact
METAL 219 MUB Musket Ball
METAL 220 MMF Misc. Metal Fragment
METAL 221 HIN Hinge
METAL 222 MKU Metal Kitchen Utensils
METAL 223 MMA Misc. Metal Artifact
METAL 224 CON Coin/Token
METAL 225 STP Fence Staple
METAL 226 SCI Scissors
METAL 227 BLL Bell
METAL 228 BUC Buckle
METAL 229 THI Thimble
METAL 230 PIN Pin (Straight or Safety)
BRASS 231 BAR Brass Artifact
BRASS 232 MBO Misc. Brass Object
METAL 233 KEY Key
METAL 234 LUG Kettle Lug
METAL 235 BCS Brass/Copper Scrap Fragment
METAL 236 HOK Hook
METAL 237 BOL Bolt
METAL 238 AGI Agitator
METAL 239 STV Stove Part
METAL 240 MTC Metal Container
METAL 241 LID Metal Lid
METAL 242 WIR Metal Wire
METAL 243 AXX Axe Head
METAL 244 PFK Pitch Fork
METAL 245 SHV Shovel Head
METAL 246 SCY Scythe Blade
METAL 247 HOE Hoe
METAL 248 FIL File or Rasp
METAL 249 HHD Hammer Head
JEWELRY 250 NEC Necklace
JEWELRY 251 BUT Button
JEWELRY 252 COM Comb or Brush
JEWELRY 253 HPT Hat Pin
JEWELRY 254 PEN Pendant or Brooch
JEWELRY 255 EGL Eye Glass Lens
  257    
JEWELRY 260 BRB Brass Bead
METAL 270 POK Stove Poker
METAL 271 GRI Grinder
METAL 272 KNF Knife
METAL 273 SAW Saw
METAL 274 PLN Plane
METAL 275 HOO Metal Hoop
MISCELLANEOUS 280 JAC Jack Knife
MISCELLANEOUS 281 STY Stylus
MISCELLANEOUS 282 CLO Clock Part
  283    
  290    
GLASS 300 GLB Glass Bottle (>50% Complete)
GLASS 301 GBD Glass Bead
GLASS 303 GTU Drinking Glass/Tumbler
GLASS 304 WGL Historic: Window Glass
GLASS 305 GLF Misc. Glass Fragments
GLASS 306 MGL Mirror Glass
GLASS 307 GLM Glass Marble
GLASS 308 GBF Glass Bottle Fragment
GLASS 309 GCO Glass Container
GLASS 310 DGL Decorated Glass
GLASS 320 GCH Chimney Lamp Glass Fragment
  330    
FOOTWARE 340 SHO Shoe or Boot Heel
FOOTWARE 341 EYE Shoe or Boot Eyelet
  360    
  370    
ORGANICS 400 MOM Misc. Organic Material
ORGANICS 401 LYE Lye
ORGANICS 410 CLH Cloth
ORGANICS 420 LEA Leather
CONSTRUCTION 450 MTR Bonding Mortar
CONSTRUCTION 451 DST Dressed Stone
CONSTRUCTION 452 PLS Plaster
BONE 500 DAN Domestic Animal Bone
METAL 502 CAN Metal/Tin Can
METAL 503 CUP Metal Cup
METAL 504 MMD Metal Mould
METAL 505 TEA Metal Coffee/Tea Pot
METAL 506 LAN Metal Lantern
METAL 507 BUK Metal Bucket/Basin
METAL 508 WAS Metal Washer
METAL 509 RIN Metal Ring
METAL 510 NUT Metal Nut
METAL 511 SRW Screw
METAL 512 LAT Metal Door Latch
METAL 513 FIX Metal Light Fixture
METAL 514 MST Metal Strap
METAL 515 TRA Animal Trap
METAL 516 SHL Shotgun Shell Casing
METAL 517 SPR Metal Spring
METAL 518 MPR Metal Press
METAL 519 HAR Harness Part
METAL 520 CHN Chain Section/Links
METAL 521 HHD Metal Handle
BONE 550 CLA Clam Shell
EUROP. CERAMICS 600 EHA Ceramic Handle
EUROP. CERAMICS 601 ERS Historic: China Rim Sherd
EUROP. CERAMICS 602 EUF Historic: China, Undecorated
EUROP. CERAMICS 603 EDF Historic: China, Decorated
EUROP. CERAMICS 604 EMM Ceramic with Maker's Mark
EUROP. CERAMICS 605 EC0 Ceramic Container
EUROP. PIPE 606 WCP White Clay Pipe
EUROP. PIPE 607 WBE White Clay Pipe Bowl/Elbow
EUROP. PIPE 608 WCS White Clay Pipe Stem
EUROP. CERAMICS 609 CRO Historic: Crockery Fragment
EUROP. CERAMICS 610 CRR Historic: Crockery Rim
EUROP. CERAMICS 611 CVE Crockery Ink Well
EUROP. CERAMICS 612 CFI Ceramic Figurine
EUROP. ITEM 613 CLM Marble
EUROP. CERAMICS 614 EPL Complete Plate
EUROP. CERAMICS 615 ECU Complete Cup
EUROP. CERAMICS 616 ESA Complete Saucer
EUROP. CERAMICS 617 EBO Complete Bowl
EUROP. CERAMICS 618 CRH Crockery Handle
  619 CLI Crockery Lid
CONSTRUCTION 620 BRI Brick
CONSTRUCTION 621 SLA Historic: Slate Fragment
CONSTRUCTION 622 DKB Door Knob
CONSTRUCTION 623 WFG Wood Fragment
CONSTRUCTION 624 WDR Wooden Drain or Pipe Fragment
CONSTRUCTION 625 PEG Wooden Peg
CHIPPED LITHIC 630 GFL Historic: Gun Flint
RELIGIOUS 650 JRG Jesuit Ring
RELIGIOUS 651 MED Medallion
RELIGIOUS 655 RCR Rosary Cross
RELIGIOUS 656 RBD Rosary Bead
RELIGIOUS 657 MRI Misc. Religious Item
  660    
  670    
EUROP. PIPE 700 PMM Wh. Clay Stem/Maker's Mark
EUROP. PIPE 701 MOU Wh. Clay Stem/Mouthpiece
EUROP. PIPE 702 CIG Bone Cigarette Holder
UNKNOWN 800 UNK Unknown Historic Object
  810    
IRON 811 INA Historic: Nail
JEWELLRY 851 BUT Historic: Button
RECENT 900 PLA Plastic Fragment
RECENT 999 RMA Recent Material

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