Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Archaeological Laboratory

The Waring Laboratory, within its Mission, welcomes the submission of archaeological collections for curation and research use. We accept collections with continuing research value from state and federal agencies, municipalities, and the private sector. The Waring Laboratory serves as a repository for archaeological collections from the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, operates under a Cooperative Agreement for curation with the U.S. Department of the Army, and has been identified as a potential partner for the curation of U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers collections from Georgia and other areas of the southeastern United States. Additionally, the Waring Laboratory curates collections generated through compliance research undertaken by private archaeological research companies operating in Georgia and nearby states.

Curation Steps

• Plenary Step - Whether the Waring Laboratory or another curation facility is used, curation should be considered in the design and execution of an archaeological project.  Anticipation of curation needs and processing issues early in the planning stages alleviates many problems that can occur if curation arrangements are considered only after completion of the final project report. 
• Step 1 - Contact the Laboratory Director or Laboratory Coordinator to discuss the collection, its component parts, and any special needs to confirm our ability to provide an adequate curation environment.
• Step 2 - Review the Waring Laboratory's Collections Standards and Labeling and Packaging Guide to ensure proper processing and handling of the collection.
• Step 3 - Fill out and submit a Request for Curation Form*.  The Laboratory Director will acknowledge this request and provide information concerning contractual options.
• Step 4 - When the collection is ready for curation, fill out and submit a Collections Summary Form*. Use the Intake Check List* as a final check of the collection and its organization.
• Step 5 - Contact the Laboratory Coordinator to schedule delivery of the collection to the Waring Laboratory.
• Step 6 - The Laboratory Coordinator assesses the collection for compliance with the Waring Laboratory's Standards for Archaeological Collections.  The submitter provides additional information or corrective measures as necessary.
• Step 7 - The Laboratory Director executes a contractual agreement for curation of the collection.

*Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to run these forms. You may not be able to save these forms.

Costs

Most of the collections at the Waring Laboratory are held in trust for the collection owner under formal contractual agreements.  Two contract options are available for the 2007 calendar year:

• Set Fee Contract- One-time fee of $250 per archival box (1 cubic foot) with a two-box minimum.
• Renewable Term Contract - Annual fee of $20 per archival box (1 cubic foot) with a two-box minimum.  Contractual term is negotiated on a case-by-case basis for periods of up to 10 years.  Contracts may be renegotiated and renewed at the end of the contractual period.