ABSTRACT
It would be unwise to think of archaeological collections as being divisible into two categories: those capable of sustaining research and those which are not. All archaeological artefacts convey a degree of information. In some the information yield may be small, while for others the yield can be proportional to the amount of time invested in their study. The bulk will fall between the two extremes. Research collections might be seen, therefore, as including all material whether on display or in store, the realization of their research potential depending largely on those who come to study them.
