On Mon, 29 Aug 1994, Anita Cohen-Williams wrote:
 
> Boy, I never expected such a firestorm on this. Sorry, people, but
> archaeologists in this country have been using "white-out" for decades to
> label artifacts. We have found it to be the most stable material, and it is
> waterproof as well. I have yet to see an artifact damaged by its application.
> Of course, we do not use it on textiles or other delicate items.
>
 
Sorry, Anita, but as a former archaeologist, now an archaeological
collections curator, I have to agree with my museum colleagues.
"White Out" really is not appropriate for labelling objects.  My
own experience is that after a number of years in really arid
conditions (Tucson, for example), "White Out" gets very dessicated
and tends to flake from the surface of objects, carrying with it
any and all information written on it.
 
Mike Jacobs
Arizona State Museum
University of Arizona
Tucson AZ 85721
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