Exploring Atchana: 1938 pottery card transcriptions

How to fill out these records
Please look at this sample card transcription below, then read the detailed instructions.

Please use this link as a reference for the tutorial.

Explaining the fields on your form

Field numbers

• The field number should appear in the top right corner of the card.
• It will usually have three parts, comprising the site code (AT or ATP), year (in one or two-digit format, e.g.: 8, or 39), and a running number.
• When recording the number in the ‘Field number’ box, insert a slash between each of the three parts (e.g.: ATP/39/22). However, make sure you record this information exactly as it appears on the card in your ’transcription’ box.

Field context

• You will usually find this information in the bottom right corner of the card

Material

• If the project title mentions ‘pottery cards’, then the material will be ‘pottery’.Otherwise, you will find material information in the object description on the card (if it has been recorded). If there is no information on material,leave this field blank.

Object type

• This is usually mentioned as part of the object description. Look for a simple term that you can use - don’t try and enter the whole description (e.g.: bead, bowl, figurine, flask, juggle, inlay etc).

Dimensions

• These are usually somewhere near the right hand side of the card. Typical abbreviations used are: Ht, diam., L., W., th. etc. Put commas between dimensions entered into this field.

Card Transcript

• This field should record everything that is written on the card, exactly as it appears.

Transcription order

• Start with the field number of the object or vessel. This appears typically at the top right corner of the card, e.g. ATP/1, AT/39/25.
• Continue from top left corner of the card.
• Insert annotations where they appear in the text

Transcription rules

In this guide, example text appears within inverted commas.

• Transcribe text as you see it. — including the case used (capital letters or lower case) and spelling errors.
• Use square brackets for editorial comments. E.g.: 'Brown slipped bowl [last word has been crossed out, replaced with] plate'; 'Tuggle [sic, toggle] pin'. 'Sic' is used to show that the mistake was in the original text.
• If the card has an image, add '[object sketch]' or '[object photo]' at the appropriate place in your transcription.
• Use '[...]' to show unreadable text. e.g.: 'Carinated bowl with [...] slip'. This can be done even if only a few letters are illegible, e.g.: 'Car[...]ted bowl'.
• Explain any problems in the transcription notes field.

Recording later annotations to the cards
Some cards were annotated after the original field information was recorded. Annotations can take a variety of forms, such as:

1. Additions in blue pen. These may record different types of information - some add commentary to the card (e.g.: 'no photo'), information on disposition (e.g.: 'discarded'), type (e.g.: 'type 291') or context (e.g.: 'Level I').
2. Additions in blue or red pencil. These typically are to add an 'A' or 'B' to the card.
3. Ticks, crosses, or lines drawn across the card. These will not be included in the transcript: you can however make some comment on them in the transcription notes (e.g.: 'the card has a pencil line drawn obliquely over the whole text').

To transcribe these:

• Frame the annotation to make it clear that it is an addition to the text. This is done by adding the word '[insert]' before the new text, and '[end insert]' afterwards.
• Indicate the annotation medium. E.g.: 'blue pencil', 'red pencil', 'pencil', or 'black pen', 'blue pen' etc.

For example: '[insert, blue pen] Level IV [end insert].

Troubleshooting

Q: What do I do if I have two cards with the same field number?
Copy the number as it appears, and note the problem in the transcribers notes' field.

Q: I've got a non-standard card format.
Occasionally the card series contains a note or summary card that has been inserted into the file. Complete the transcription, and fill out whatever other fields seem relevant.

Q: My card doesn't have all the necessary information.
Fill out whatever fields you can, and leave the rest blank.