On Sat, 3 Sep 1994, Anita Cohen-Williams wrote: > A clarification here. After I label an artifact (with whatever), our procedure > is to place it in a Ziploc bag and seal it against moisture. Perhaps this > would help in keeping the label on the artifact? > Though I am not a conservator, when I was collections manager at an archaeological museum in Connecticut, our storage of lithics in totally zipped up bags had its drawbacks. After washing, the artifacts were set to dry, then labeled with ink and fingernail polish (no whiteout), then sealed up. Many developed a yellowish stain (fungal, it seemed) on the plastic bag, perhaps as a result of residual moisture. For many such pieces, we often switched to clean paper field envelopes. Such a problem may not exist in drier climates, but given temperature and humidity controls in some museums, artifacts can develop microclimates in a sealed bag. Ann McMullen Curator of North American Ethnology Milwaukee Public Museum