“Backlog”
Pronunciation: /ˈbæklɔːɡ/ (BAK-log)
Part of Speech: Noun
Quick Definition: An inventory of accumulated materials or tasks awaiting processing, particularly common in the context of archaeological collections and archives.
General Use: “The university museum’s storage facility was overflowing with boxes from 50 years of excavations. Consequently, dealing with the monumental Backlog was deemed the institution’s highest priority.”
The Unseen Collection – The monumental artistic loss caused by the Backlog is that thousands of unique and potentially significant artifacts remain unseen and unstudied, locked away in boxes. This delays the integration of crucial cultural information into public education and scholarship.
The Data Crisis – The hidden intellectual danger of the Backlog is the increasing difficulty of reconnecting artifacts with their original, monumental context (field notes, maps, photos) as staff turnover occurs and records age. This threatens the intellectual integrity of the collection.
A Global Phenomenon – The existence of a Backlog is a monumental global phenomenon, largely driven by regulatory requirements for developers to fund excavation but not the subsequent, lengthy, and expensive post-excavation analysis.
Did you know?
The typical archaeological project allocates a significant portion of its time and budget to fieldwork, but often underestimates the monumental labor required for post-excavation analysis and cataloging. This imbalance is a primary cause of the Backlog. Properly addressing the Backlog often requires the specialized use of grants, volunteer labor, and modern digital inventory systems.
Backlog Definition (Primary Context)
The Backlog is a state of deferred work resulting from the disparity between the rate of artifact and data acquisition (often rapid due to rescue archaeology or large-scale excavations) and the rate of post-excavation processing (which is slow, meticulous, and labor-intensive). In an archaeological context, materials in the Backlog are often initially washed, bagged, and given a preliminary accession number, but lack the final, detailed record that links them to their precise provenience, full descriptive analysis, and conservation report.
Until a collection is fully processed out of the Backlog, it remains largely unavailable for monumental scholarly research, public display, or effective long-term preservation planning. Effective strategies for managing the Backlog involve clear prioritization, standardized procedures, and the application of new technologies like automated digital cataloging.
English: Compound of back (behind, remaining) and log (a record or inventory).
Unprocessed Inventory, Deferred Analysis, Archives Waiting Processing, Collections in Arrears.
Cataloged Collection, Processed Inventory, Curated Archive, Fully Analyzed Data.
Inventory, Accumulation, Oversupply, Undone Work.
Historical Context of Backlog
The concept of the Backlog grew exponentially from the mid-20th century onwards. This was due to two major factors: the boom in modern construction and infrastructure projects, which necessitated massive amounts of “rescue” or commercial archaeology, and the shift in archaeological methodology towards the collection of all materials (not just monumental or aesthetically pleasing ones). The sheer volume of material recovered—including soil samples, lithic debitage, and faunal remains—overwhelmed existing museum and university capacity, creating the current, monumental storage and processing crisis.
Social Context of Backlog
The existence of a Backlog creates significant ethical and social challenges for heritage custodians. They are responsible for ensuring that objects of cultural importance are preserved and made accessible. A growing Backlog means that cultural narratives remain incomplete, and the investment made in the initial excavation does not yield its monumental intended scholarly or public return. Addressing the Backlog is often a public call to action, emphasizing the importance of stewardship and the need for funding beyond the initial fieldwork phase to ensure the integrity of the record.
| Area of Influence | Significance and Impact |
| Research Accessibility | Unprocessed collections cannot be studied, severely limiting new scholarly discoveries. |
| Preservation Risk | Artifacts in temporary storage are more vulnerable to damage, pests, and loss of context. |
| Funding Ethics | It raises ethical questions about funding new fieldwork when monumental amounts of older material remain unprocessed. |
| Public Trust | Institutions face criticism when culturally significant materials are kept out of sight and inaccessible. |
Terms Related to Backlog
Managing the Backlog requires understanding terminology related to collection management and post-excavation analysis. This provides essential context for museum science. This provides a clearer view of the technical framework surrounding collections management.
| Term/Concept | Description and Relevance |
| Provenience | The exact location and context of an artifact’s recovery. This information is crucial but easily lost in the Backlog. |
| Accessioning | The formal process of legally recording an item into an institution’s collection. Items often have provisional accession before leaving the Backlog. |
| Cataloging | The detailed process of recording descriptive information about an artifact. This is the main task required to clear the Backlog. |
| Rescue Archaeology | Excavation conducted under threat of destruction (e.g., by construction). This is a primary cause of the rapid growth of the Backlog. |
| Curatorial Crisis | A term used to describe the monumental storage and management challenges faced by museums, largely due to the Backlog. |
| Deaccessioning | The formal process of removing an item from a collection. This is sometimes proposed to reduce the size of the Backlog. |
Sources & Credits
Sources
- Sullivan, L. A., and E. C. Kelley (Eds.). “The Archaeology of the Backlog: The Promise and Potential of Existing Collections.” University Press of Florida, 2021. [Historical source]
- Pye, E. “Caring for the Past: Issues in Conservation for Archaeology and Museums.” James & James, 2001. [Historical source]
- “The Curatorial Crisis.” Society for American Archaeology (SAA) Guidelines. [Government institutional body/definition site]
- Schiffer, M. B. “Formation Processes of the Archaeological Record.” University of New Mexico Press, 1987. [Historical source]
- International Council of Museums (ICOM). “Code of Ethics for Museums.” [Museum site]
