fyndlistor

Fyndlistor is a Swedish term referring to inventories that document artifacts and ecofacts recovered during archaeological work. Each find receives a unique identifier and is linked to its provenience, including site name, excavation unit, context (layer or feature), and coordinates. The lists also record descriptive and technical data such as material, typology or object type, dimensions, weight, dating, inferred function, production technique, preservation, and condition on discovery. Additional notes may cover associations with other finds, conservation needs, and the current storage location. In digital projects, fyndlistor are stored in databases and linked to broader collections records; in field work they may appear as paper lists in site notebooks and final reports.

Purpose and use: fyndlistor support interpretation by enabling distribution analyses and chronological sequencing, provide a basis for publication and data sharing, and assist curators with accessioning and long-term preservation. In Swedish archaeology they are often connected with fyndregister or fyndförteckningar and are part of standard documentation workflows.

Standardization and quality: entries typically use controlled vocabularies for material, typology, and dating. Provenience data are central for analyses, and accompanying photographs or drawings may be attached. Limitations include incomplete recovery, disturbed contexts, and variable field records, which can constrain interpretation. Despite these caveats, fyndlistor are essential for tracing artifacts from field to laboratory to display.