Archive

Quick Facts: Who was Archive?

Subject:

Archive

Known for:

A repository for historical records, preserving the evidence of people and organizations.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials, in any medium, or the physical facility in which they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the history and function of that person or organization. Professional archivists and historians generally understand archives to be records that have been naturally and necessarily generated as a product of regular legal, commercial, administrative, or social activities. They have been metaphorically defined as "the secretions of an organism", and are distinguished from documents that have been consciously written or created to communicate a particular message to posterity. Generally, archives consist of records that have been selected for permanent or long-term preservation on the grounds of their enduring cultural, historical, or evidentiary value.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Archival records are normally unpublished and very often unique, unlike books or magazines, of which many identical copies may exist. This means that archives are quite distinct from libraries with regard to their functions and organization, although archival collections can often be found within library buildings. While archives are traditionally collections of documents, some scholars argue that buildings can be a type of archive. The choice of what to include in an archive can be a political act. A person who works in archives is called an archivist.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The study and practice of organizing, preserving, and providing access to information and materials in archives is called archival science. The physical place of storage can be referred to as an archive (more usual in the United Kingdom), an archives (more usual in the United States), or a repository. The use of the term "archive" with regards to computing (referring to a computer file storing the content of one or more others) should not be confused with the record-keeping meaning. The English word archive is derived from the French archives (plural), and in turn from Latin archīum or archīvum, the romanized form of the Greek ἀρχεῖον (arkheion). The Greek term originally referred to the home or dwelling of the Archon, a ruler or chief magistrate, in which important official state documents were filed and interpreted; from there its meaning broadened to encompass such concepts as "town hall" and "public records".

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Archive

True or False: “The term 'archive' originally referred to a place where rulers kept important state documents.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The Greek term ἀρχεῖον (arkheion) originally designated the home or dwelling of the Archon, a chief magistrate.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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Frequently Asked Questions about Archive