Archaeological objects and art of indigenous cultures, which may only be held with lawful provenance.
Collecting antiquities is collecting with responsibility. Looting destroys archaeological sites and
the knowledge they hold, and many countries protect their heritage by law. The record of an antiquity
therefore starts with the question every museum asks: can its lawful history be proven?
Getting Started
ordicio has two categories:
Antiquities and archaeological finds: classical Greek and
Roman objects, Egyptian and Near Eastern antiquities, prehistoric objects, medieval finds and
pre-Columbian art.
Ethnographic and tribal art: objects made by peoples for
ritual, daily or trade use, often collected in the field.
Buy only from dealers and auction houses that document provenance and guarantee it in writing.
What to Record
Provenance first: every known owner and sale, with dates and documents. Objects documented
before 1970, the year of the UNESCO Convention, or before the national cut-off date of the country
of origin, are the accepted standard.
Export licences and permits: the licence of the country the object left, and import papers.
Find reports: for finds, the report to the authorities, such as the Portable Antiquities
Scheme in England and Wales.
Checks of loss registers: the date and result of checks against registers of stolen art.
Culture, period and function, and the material and technique.
For ethnographic art: the people and region, whether the object was used in ritual or made for
trade, and the field collector and date.
Description and dimensions as on an Object ID record: the international standard for
describing objects so they can be identified if stolen.
Condition
Note breaks, repairs, restorations, missing parts and surface treatments. For archaeological
objects, encrustation and patina are part of the object.
Care and Storage
Keep objects in a stable climate, supported so they cannot fall or flex. Metals need dry air;
organic materials such as wood and textile need steady humidity and protection from pests.
Mistakes to Avoid
Buying without documents because the price is attractive.
Accepting “old family collection” as provenance without any proof.
Separating the documents from the object - without them its history is lost.
The 32 fields worth recording for antiquities & ethnographic art, grouped as in the
ordicio app.
Identification
Object type Text
What the object is, in the most specific common term, e.g. commode, tea caddy, candlestick, longcase clock.
Culture Text
Culture or people, e.g. Roman, Ancient Egyptian, Etruscan, Moche, Yoruba, Maori.
Period Text
Archaeological or historical period with dates, e.g. Late Bronze Age (c. 1300 to 800 BC), Ptolemaic period.
Function / use Text
What the object was used for, e.g. oil lamp, votive figure, ritual mask, weapon.
Materials Text
Materials the object is made of, main material first.
Technique Text
How the object was made or decorated.
Measurements
Height (cm) Number
Height, measured upright as the object is meant to stand or hang.
Width (cm) Number
Width, measured from the front.
Depth (cm) Number
Depth, measured from front to back.
Weight (g) Number
Weight of the object (without stand, frame or holder unless noted).
Marks & features
Inscriptions & marks Text
Signatures, labels, stamps, hallmarks, maker's marks and numbers, transcribed as they appear and with their position.
Distinguishing features Text
Damage, repairs or peculiarities that identify this very object (helps to recognise it after a loss or theft).
Provenance & legal
Documentation of lawful origin and ownership history.
Documented before 1970 Choice
Whether the object is documented outside its country of origin before the 1970 UNESCO Convention or another legal cut-off date.
Yes, documented before 1970
Yes, documented before the relevant national cut-off date
Legally excavated / found and reported
No, later provenance only
Unknown
Export licence Text
Export licence or certificate of the source country, and import documents, with numbers.
Restitution / claims check Text
Checks against loss and claims registers (Art Loss Register, Interpol, Lost Art) and their results.
CITES status Choice
Listing of the species or material under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Not listed
Appendix I
Appendix II
Appendix III
Exempt (pre-Convention / antique)
Unknown
Permits & documents Text
Collecting, export, import or trade permits and certificates with their numbers and issuing authority.
Condition
Condition Choice
Overall condition in plain terms; domains with an established grading scale use that scale instead.
Mint / as new
Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Condition notes Text
Faults, wear and damage in detail.
Restoration & repairs Text
Restorations, repairs, replaced parts and cleaning, with who did them and when if known.
Certificate / expertise Text
Certificates of authenticity or expert opinions, with issuer, date and number.
Acquisition
How and when the object came into the collection.
Acquisition date Date
Date the object came into the collection.
Acquisition method Choice, or your own
How the object came into the collection.
Purchase
Auction
Gift
Inheritance
Exchange / trade
Self-collected / found
Commission
Acquired from Text
Seller, auction house (with sale and lot number), donor or place where it was found.
Purchase price Amount
Price paid including fees and premiums.
Provenance Text
Earlier owners and the object's history, oldest first, with sources (labels, invoices, sale catalogues).
Value
Estimated and insured value.
Estimated value Amount
Current market value as estimated.
Valuation date Date
Date of the current value estimate.
Valuation basis Choice
What the estimated value is based on.
Own estimate
Recent sales / auction results
Dealer offer
Catalogue value
Professional appraisal
Insurance valuation
Insured value Amount
Sum the object is insured for.
Collection record
Your own inventory data.
Inventory number Text
Your own number or label for the object, e.g. C-0042, as written on its label or album page.
Storage location Text
Where the object is kept, e.g. room, cabinet, drawer, album and page, box.
Standards and References
The data sheets follow the standards collectors, dealers and museums use:
1970 UNESCO Convention on illicit trade in cultural property; ICOM Red Lists; EU Regulation 2019/880
Object ID checklist (type, materials and techniques, measurements, inscriptions, distinguishing features)
Getty AAT and the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names for cultures and places
Portable Antiquities Scheme (England and Wales) recording practice for finds
Updated October 24, 2026
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