Object Type is the first level of the collection taxonomy. It identifies what an object is, based primarily on its physical form, general category, or principal use.
This classification helps organize diverse objects from different cultures, periods, regions, and materials into a clear and consistent structure.
An object should be assigned to the category that best describes its primary identity, rather than simply the material from which it was made.
For example, a bronze pendant is primarily Jewelry & Personal Adornment, rather than Metalware. A ceremonial bronze vessel may be classified as Religious & Ritual Objects when its principal identity is connected to ritual use.
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| Object Types — An AI-generated vintage watercolor illustration presenting a diverse selection of objects, from ceramics and jewelry to sculptures, ritual objects, tools, textiles, and more. |
Object Type Categories
Ceramics & Pottery
Objects made primarily from fired clay and other ceramic materials, including pottery vessels and ceramic objects that do not require a more specific ceramic classification.
Examples include:
pottery vessels
ceramic containers
decorated pottery
archaeological ceramic objects
More specific ceramic categories such as porcelain, stoneware, and earthenware may be used when the material tradition is sufficiently distinctive.
Porcelain
Objects made from porcelain, a fine, highly vitrified ceramic material.
Examples include:
porcelain vessels
porcelain figures
decorative porcelain
porcelain tableware
Stoneware
Objects made from stoneware, a durable high-fired ceramic material.
Examples include:
stoneware vessels
jars
storage containers
decorative stoneware
Earthenware
Objects made from relatively porous, low-fired or moderately fired clay.
Examples include:
terracotta vessels
earthenware pottery
clay figurines
decorative earthenware
Glassware
Objects made primarily from glass.
Examples include:
glass vessels
bottles
drinking vessels
decorative glass
archaeological glass objects
Metalware
Objects made primarily from metal that do not belong more appropriately to another specialized category.
Examples include:
metal vessels
bronze containers
decorative metal objects
metal fittings
general metalwork
A metal object with a more specific identity should normally be classified according to that identity. For example, a gold pendant belongs under Jewelry & Personal Adornment, not Metalware.
Furniture
Objects designed primarily as furniture or furnishings.
Examples include:
chairs
tables
cabinets
chests
desks
beds
stools
Woodcraft
Objects made primarily from carved, shaped, or constructed wood, excluding furniture and architectural elements.
Examples include:
carved wooden objects
wooden containers
decorative woodcraft
carved figures
wooden household objects
Lacquerware
Objects associated with lacquer traditions, particularly objects whose identity is strongly connected to lacquer decoration or construction.
Examples include:
lacquer boxes
lacquer trays
lacquer vessels
decorated lacquer objects
Textiles
Objects made primarily from woven, embroidered, knitted, felted, or otherwise constructed textile materials.
Examples include:
garments
carpets
tapestries
embroidered textiles
woven fabrics
ceremonial textiles
Jewelry & Personal Adornment
Objects intended primarily to be worn on or attached to the body.
Examples include:
necklaces
pendants
earrings
bracelets
rings
brooches
hair ornaments
nose ornaments
ceremonial body ornaments
A small ceremonial pendant remains Jewelry & Personal Adornment even when it also has religious, political, or supernatural significance.
Paintings & Works on Paper
Two-dimensional artworks and works created primarily on paper or similar surfaces.
Examples include:
paintings
drawings
prints
watercolors
sketches
illustrated works on paper
Sculptures & Figurines
Three-dimensional artistic representations that are primarily sculptural.
Examples include:
statues
figurines
carved figures
freestanding sculptures
miniature sculptures
anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures
A sculpture may also have a ritual function. When its primary physical identity is a sculpture or figurine, this category may be preferred unless its ritual function is the defining characteristic of the object.
Books & Manuscripts
Bound books, handwritten manuscripts, codices, and related book-form objects.
Examples include:
manuscripts
codices
illuminated manuscripts
historical books
handwritten documents
manuscript fragments
Clocks & Scientific Instruments
Objects designed to measure time, conduct scientific observation, or perform specialized scientific measurement.
Examples include:
clocks
watches when treated as scientific or historical instruments
astrolabes
astronomical instruments
surveying instruments
measuring instruments
scientific apparatus
Musical Instruments
Objects designed primarily to produce or manipulate musical sound.
Examples include:
drums
flutes
string instruments
horns
bells used as musical instruments
traditional musical instruments
Arms & Armor
Objects designed primarily for combat, defense, hunting, or martial purposes.
Examples include:
swords
spears
shields
helmets
armor
bows
arrows
ceremonial weapons
Objects that merely depict weapons are not necessarily classified here. A sculpture of a sword, for example, remains a sculpture unless the object itself functions as a weapon.
Religious & Ritual Objects
Objects whose principal identity is associated with religious, ceremonial, funerary, or ritual activity.
Examples include:
ritual vessels
ceremonial implements
offering objects
sacred objects
reliquaries
ritual regalia
objects deposited in ritual contexts
This category is especially useful for archaeological objects whose physical form cannot be adequately understood without their ritual function.
For example, an elaborate ceremonial vessel may be classified as Religious & Ritual Objects even when it is made of bronze, stone, or another material.
Household & Domestic Objects
Objects primarily intended for everyday domestic or household use.
Examples include:
cooking vessels
storage containers
household utensils
domestic tools
lamps
serving objects
everyday household implements
Objects with a specialized ritual or professional function should generally be classified elsewhere when that function is more fundamental.
Architectural Elements
Objects that originally formed part of a building, monument, or architectural structure.
Examples include:
capitals
columns
architectural carvings
door elements
tiles
friezes
architectural sculpture
decorative building elements
Toys & Dolls
Objects designed primarily for children's play, entertainment, or miniature representation.
Examples include:
dolls
toy animals
miniature toys
children's games
toy vehicles
historical play objects
Tools & Implements
Objects designed primarily to perform a practical task, including tools, implements, and functional equipment.
Examples include:
cutting tools
agricultural implements
woodworking tools
fishing implements
digging tools
stone tools
specialized working implements
An object may have ritual significance while retaining the physical identity of a tool. For example, a finely crafted stone implement used in a ceremonial context may still belong under Tools & Implements if its form is fundamentally that of a tool.
How Object Type Works
Object Type answers one simple question:
What is this object?
It does not primarily answer:
Who made it?
Where did it come from?
When was it made?
What material is it made from?
What culture used it?
What does it symbolize?
Those characteristics can be recorded separately through other levels of the collection taxonomy.
For example:
Maya Eccentric Flint
Object Type: Tools & Implements
Material: Chert
Culture: Maya
Period: Late Classic Period
Region: Mesoamerica
Function: Ceremonial / ritual
Or:
Igbo-Ukwu Shell Vessel with Leopard
Object Type: Religious & Ritual Objects
Material: Leaded Bronze
Culture: Igbo-Ukwu
Period: c. 9th–11th century CE
Region: Southeastern Nigeria
Function: Ceremonial / ritual
And:
Tairona Figure Pendant
Object Type: Jewelry & Personal Adornment
Material: Gold / gold-copper alloy
Culture: Tairona
Period: c. 900–1600 CE
Region: Northern Colombia
Function: Personal, elite, and possibly ceremonial adornment
This separation allows the same object to be understood from several different perspectives without forcing every characteristic into a single category.
Primary Classification
Each object should have one primary Object Type whenever possible.
The primary category should represent the object's most fundamental physical or functional identity.
When an object could reasonably belong to several categories, consider the following hierarchy:
What was the object physically made to be?
What was its principal function?
How was it normally used or worn?
Does another category describe it more precisely?
For example, a gold ritual pendant is primarily a pendant, so Jewelry & Personal Adornment may be preferable to Religious & Ritual Objects.
Conversely, a ceremonial vessel created specifically for ritual use may be better classified as Religious & Ritual Objects than Metalware.
The goal is not to eliminate ambiguity, but to create a consistent primary classification.
Material Is Not Object Type
Material and Object Type should remain separate.
A single material can appear across many object categories.
For example:
Bronze
bronze pendant → Jewelry & Personal Adornment
bronze statue → Sculptures & Figurines
bronze ritual vessel → Religious & Ritual Objects
bronze sword → Arms & Armor
bronze tool → Tools & Implements
Likewise, gold may appear as jewelry, sculpture, ritual objects, or architectural decoration.
This distinction prevents the taxonomy from becoming dominated by materials instead of the actual nature of the objects.
Function and Object Type
Function can sometimes determine classification, but it should not automatically override physical identity.
Consider a ceremonial knife.
If the object is an actual knife designed for cutting, its primary type may remain Tools & Implements or Arms & Armor, depending on its intended use.
If it is a symbolic ceremonial object that no longer functions as a practical knife, Religious & Ritual Objects may be more appropriate.
Likewise, a pendant worn by a religious specialist remains Jewelry & Personal Adornment if its physical identity and primary use are as personal adornment.
The taxonomy should describe the object rather than forcing every unusual object into a ritual category.
Why This Classification Matters
A well-structured Object Type taxonomy makes a collection easier to browse, search, compare, and expand.
A visitor interested in ancient vessels should be able to explore objects from completely different cultures without first knowing their historical names.
Someone interested in figurines should be able to encounter Maya, Tairona, African, Asian, European, and Indigenous North American examples together.
The taxonomy therefore creates connections between objects that might otherwise appear unrelated.
A Maya eccentric flint, an Igbo-Ukwu bronze vessel, and a Tairona gold pendant come from completely different cultural worlds.
Yet their classification allows each to occupy a clear place within the larger collection.
Object Type provides the first doorway.
Culture tells us who made it.
Material tells us what it is made from.
Period tells us when it was created.
Region tells us where it belongs.
Function tells us what it was used for.
Object Type tells us what it is.
Together, these layers create a more complete picture of every object in the collection.