Describe before choosing a category
Write the visible shape, decoration and construction details in ordinary words. For example, record a shallow bowl with a loop handle rather than starting with a named ancient culture. Add dimensions only when you have a measurement or an identified source for them. Mark unavailable views and do not fill in the reverse from imagination. This first description gives you a stable basis for comparing different suggestions without rewriting the object every time its proposed name changes.
Compare like with like
When a museum example seems similar, compare the same features on both objects: the handle’s position, the rim profile or the arrangement of decoration. Record differences as carefully as matches. Copy the source’s date wording without narrowing a broad range to a single year. If the reference is itself uncertain, keep that uncertainty attached. A photograph of a similar object supplies a comparison, not a transferable certificate for the object you are researching.
Write a conclusion that matches the evidence
Use a short statement such as comparable shape, material unconfirmed, period not established. Ask what observation or document would distinguish the competing interpretations. If a specialist provides an opinion, record their name, the date and what they actually examined. Keep an image-only opinion distinct from a physical examination. You do not need a definitive label to make progress: a clear account of which claim lacks support can prevent the next reader from treating a plausible story as an established fact.
Take it with you
- Describe visible details before assigning a cultural category.
- Record differences and preserve a source’s uncertainty.
- Match the strength of the conclusion to the available evidence.
Artifact ID
Artifacts and historical research
Artifact ID is a research aid, not authentication, certified appraisal or proof of provenance or ownership. AI attributions may be wrong or incomplete. Offline access concerns saved entries as described. Feature access and any paid options depend on current in-app terms.