FUNCTION CLASSIFICATION TERMS

In the list of Function Classification Terms, the primary function categories are the underlined terms, and the secondary classifications are in boldface.  Select the functional terms most appropriate for the object being catalogued.

Structures and Furnishings

Unclassified

furnishings, etc. of unknown or unspecified use

Household Furnishings

house parts, chairs, tables, other furniture; floor coverings, window or door coverings; lighting devices, plumbing or sanitation fixtures, temperature control devices; bedding, pillows; decorative objects, wall hangings, pictures, framed photographs, figurines, ornaments, plaques, etc.

Public Furnishings

alter pieces, temple parts, dance house furnishings, sweathouse accessories, men's council house furnishings, carved house posts, thrones, totem poles, public confinement devices, etc.

Dress and Adornment (personal artifacts)

Unclassified

garments and accessories worn or carried for which exact use is not known

Clothing

garments and utilitarian accessories worn habitually or on a daily basis; shirts, pants, shoes, etc.  Also garments worn for protection from the elements; jackets, capes, rain coats and hats, etc.

Ceremonial Dress

garments worn primarily on festive or ceremonial occasions; headdress, feather garments, feather decoration, pow-wow costumes, dance regalia.  Use this classification if it is certain the object was used only for ceremonial occasions.

Accessory

utilitarian accessories used or worn habitually or on a daily basis; hats, purses, belts, scarves, etc.

Adornment

objects worn for decoration; earrings, necklaces, pins, hair ties, hat bands, bracelets, rings, sleeve bands, nose pins and pendants, etc.; also things carried or attached for purposes of adornment.

Utensils and Implements (tools and equipment)

Unclassified

use or function not specified, or not possible to determine

Hunting/Weapons

bows, arrows, rabbit nets, snares, traps, atlatls, firearms, blowguns, clubs, spears, daggers, slings, guns, swords, etc.; also objects that are made primarily for fighting rather than for hunting or other uses

Fishing

nets, harpoons, gigs, hooks, fish spears and arrows, etc.

Gathering

seed beaters, berry baskets, etc.

Agriculture and Animal Husbandry

planting sticks, digging sticks, hoes, plows, other tools used for agricultural activities; objects used in the care of domestic animals and specifically related to the production of food or crops

Household Implement

all food preparation implements and containers, eating utensils and other utensils used for activities in and around the household; mortars, pestles, metates, mullers, brushes, storage baskets, parfleches, vases, strainers, ladles, milk containers, fire drills, etc.

Manufacturing Implement

tools for use in the manufacture of other objects; scrapers, awls, needles, drills, netting shuttles and mesh measures, wedges, mauls, axes, flakers, engravers, arrow straighteners, looms and other weaving tools, raw materials, spindle whorls, rope twisters, etc. 

Manufacturing Debris (debris from implement manufacture)

cores, flakes, shatter, metal or wood shavings, etc.

Toilet Articles

combs, hairbrushes, mirrors, face paint, etc.; containers such as comb case, makeup kit, paint box, trinket box, etc.; also, chamber pots, contraceptive devices, artifacts for disposal of bodily wastes, etc.

Personal Gear

fans, fly whisks, worry beads, pipe bags, etc.

Utility

string, rope, knife, ax, shovel, etc.  Articles used for a wide variety of purposes.

Food and Medicine

Unclassified

unspecified function or use

Daily

samples of food and medicine as daily fare or taken for curing properties alone

Ritual

samples of food used in ritual or festive contexts, feast foods, etc.; "medicines" taken for ritual or supernatural purposes; black drink, peyote, tobacco, etc.

Transportation (distribution and transportation)

Unclassified

unspecified function or usage

Land Transportation

all horse trappings, sleds, cradles, travois, vehicles and parts, snowshoes, skis, etc.

Water Transportation

boats, rafts, accessories for boats and rafts, etc.

Communication and Media of Exchange

Unclassified

unspecified function or usage

Documentary

books, inscriptions, writing accessories and written records, maps, wampum belts, calendar sticks, ledgers, pictographs, petroglyphs, etc.

Sound

warning clappers, whistles, talking drums, conch shell horns, audio tapes, etc.

Exchange

dentalia, claws, clamshell, discs, shells, gold weights, stone money, pig tusks, money, tokens, scales, all objects related to transactions involving exchange of goods, etc.

Ritual and Recreation

Unclassified

unspecified function or usage

Ceremonial Artifacts

idols and mythical figures, charms, prayer arrows, shaman's paraphernalia, pipes, incense, censers, fetishes; all objects associated with rites of passage; coffins, funerary urns, initiation artifacts, etc.

Game

counting sticks, snowsnakes, cards, ball games, throwing games, athletic games, stick and dice games, hand games, etc.

Music

all musical devices whether used in ritual or secular contexts

Novelty

objects made especially for gift, sale, or trade; tourist novelties, souvenirs, etc.

Model

miniatures, scale models, salemen's models, etc.

Toy

objects intended for use as children's play things

Art       

works of art, fine art, usually not intended for sale as tourist items

Unclassified

Unclassified

use for all objects of unknown function or usage