What We Do
The Office of State Archaeology is responsible for taking care of archaeological materials owned or managed by the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. These collections have been donated, acquired by the department, or are on long-term loan through agreements with other state or federal agencies that control the artifacts and records. The OSA Research Center is the the facility where these collections, along with many of North Carolina's archaeological items, are preserved and stored. We work to make sure these collections are available to researchers and the public, and we establish guidelines on how to properly retrieve, process, store, and handle artifacts to keep them safe for the long term.
Curation Standards & Fees
Artifacts collected through work involving federal or state funds or contracts are eligible for curation at the Research Center. Staff and space limitations require that materials submitted for curation meet certain general conditions before acceptance. Curation Guidelines can be found in our Archaeological Investigation Standards and Guidelines, Part 4: Curation.
Submit an Incoming Collections Form Now an online form!
Artifact Donations
The Research Center conditionally accepts donations of collections related to North Carolina archaeology. Each donation is carefully reviewed based on factors such as the size of the collection, the type and condition of the artifacts, their historical significance, the documentation that accompanies them, and how well they fit with the Research Center's mission and collection scope. Artifacts without documentation or context may be added to our teaching collection, where they will be used for educational outreach. Artifacts that come with documentation are more likely to be curated for exhibits or added to our type collection for research and analysis. If sufficient contextual information is provided, Research Center will work to connect the donated artifacts with a documented site in North Carolina, enhancing our understanding of the state's history.
If you are interested in donating artifacts to the Research Center, please contact osa.curation@dncr.nc.gov. Be sure to include photographs of the artifacts, details about the collector, the location where the artifacts were found, whether permission (verbal or written) was obtained from the property owner, and any other available documentation.
If your donation is accepted, ownership will be transferred to the Research Center through a deed of gift. This document confirms that the item is yours to donate and that you are assigning all associated rights to the Research Center. Once the deed of gift is signed and returned, the object will officially become part of the the Research Center collection. Please note that if you wish to have artifacts appraised for tax purposes, you must do so independently before making the donation, as the Research Center and the Office of State Archaeology do not provide appraisal services. The NC Museum of History provides a list of area appraisers.