Findbücher

Findbücher, or fund books, are systematic inventories of artifacts recovered during archaeological excavations. They document each item with a unique find number and provide essential contextual information to support analysis, interpretation, curation, and publication. In German-language archaeology the term Findbuch (plural Findbücher) is commonly used, though the concept is familiar in other languages as a find catalog or finds register.

Typical entries include: object number, site name, excavation area, grid coordinates or provenience, depth or stratigraphic unit, material and typology, dating, dimensions, weight, condition, and notes on associated finds or contexts; a short description, bibliographic references, and references to photographs or drawings. When artifacts enter a museum collection, accession numbers may also be recorded.

Findbücher serve multiple purposes: they facilitate analysis and interpretation, enable cross-site comparisons, aid in curatorial management, and support publication and long-term research. They are often compiled during fieldwork and later digitized into databases or integrated with museum catalogs. Some projects publish a consolidated Findbuch as an appendix to the excavation report.

Types and structure vary by institution. There are site-specific Findbücher for individual digs and regional or collection-level inventories for larger projects or museums. Institutions may follow internal schemas or adopt standardized metadata practices; in larger programs, crosswalks to international standards help with interoperability.

Access to Findbücher ranges from restricted institutional archives to public online repositories. They are valued for preserving provenance, enabling reproducible research, and linking artifacts to their contexts within the archaeological record.