unprovenienced

English

Etymology

From un- +‎ provenience +‎ -ed.

Adjective

unprovenienced (not comparable)

1. (especially archaeology, of an artifact) Not having provenience: not having complete and fully ascertained information about origin, not even knowledge of the site in which an artifact was first found by archaeology (let alone any other aspect of its history).

   Near-synonym: unprovenanced

   • 2021 November 19, Glenn J. Corbett, “The Problem with Unprovenanced Objects”, in Bible History Daily‎^[1], Biblical Archaeology Society:

     There are many problems associated with artifacts and objects that lack a secure archaeological context. As Biblical Archaeology Review readers know, we typically describe such objects as “unprovenanced” (or, more accurately, unprovenienced). Since they were not found through controlled scientific excavation and often enter collections through the antiquities market, unprovenanced objects present serious practical, ethical, and even legal issues that scholars must consider when discussing them.

   • 2024 April 3, Christopher J. Foster, Glenda Chao, and Mercedes Valmisa, “The Methods and Ethics of Researching Unprovenienced Artifacts from East Asia”, in Cambridge Elements: Elements in Ancient East Asia‎^[2], Cambridge University Press:

     “Unprovenienced” is to be differentiated from “unprovenanced,” which refers to artifacts whose ownership history is unknown.