COLLECTING WITH CARE: COLLABORATIVE COLLECTION STRATEGIES AND THE CRM CURATION CRISIS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Abstract

Archaeological repositories face long-recognized pressures from the accumulation ofCRM-generated collections, including storage limitations, underprocessed materials, and longterm stewardship burdens. These pressures reflect not only logistical problems, but also inherited assumptions about archaeological objects as scientific data that should be collected and curated indefinitely. This thesis explores how preservation professionals view the feasibility and need for collaborative collection strategies, and whether they see them as a way to improve stewardship and address the curation crisis. The project draws on decolonizing, Indigenous, and community archaeologies to question archaeologists’ default authority over material culture. To assess professional perspectives, this study uses an exploratory survey of preservation professionals regarding collaborative collection strategies, no-collection approaches, selective retention, and perceived feasibility. The project initially aimed for national reach but ended up being framed within the Pacific Northwest. Responses suggest that collaborative collection strategies are needed in the field of CRM and may help address the curation crisis through better stewardship, though the specifics of collection policies will need to be addressed on a project-by-project basis. The thesis contributes to CRM practice by reframing collection policies as early-stage stewardship tools rather than after-the-fact repository problems.