The catalogue recording objects collected during excava- tions, surveys, or studies is an important tool. It establish- es an interface between several major stages of archaeo- logical research: ieldwork, and analysis and preservation of material. Its main role is to provide a permanent link between the collected items and the context of discov- ery, without which archaeological objects irretrievably lose their scientiic value. The catalogue should be above all simple but effective, and allow the researcher to ind contextual information easily for each piece discovered. The number and nature of the different headings may of course vary depending on the nature of the dig. The continued existence of these data is crucial not only for post-excavation analysis but also for the conservation of objects, which in some cases may have to stay in a drawer in a laboratory or museum for many years before being studied by researchers other than those who carried out the excavations.