It was like that when we found it: dissociation and standards of care for archaeological and ethnographic collections

This article draws from three years of work as an objects conservator and postdoctoral researcher on a stores move project at the University of Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Through preventive risk management, handling, stabilisation and documentation, the following reflects on the effects of dissociation, standards of care and safe access for over 300,000 objects—including archaeological stone tools, food storage containers, ritual objects, garments, weapons, toys, and musical instruments—collected around the globe and brought to the UK over the past two and a half centuries. Many of these lack reliable documentation about their function, condition and originating contexts. Using case studies from the move project, the article reflects on how and by whom the loss of information about an object’s standards of care can or should be remediated, and how dissociation influences long-term risk management in practice. It also suggests how safe handling and multi-sensory access might be used to cultivate engagement and shared value for even unprovenanced or under-documented collections.