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My uncle's old stories are changing how we write up finds

He visits our Bronze Age dig and links everything to local legends. The team says it enriches the report, but I worry about accuracy. What's your method for keeping personal stories out of data?
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3 Comments
morgan.robert
Yeah, putting it in an appendix like averyfox said is the move. I get that worry though, you gotta keep the stories and the dirt separate. My old crew did something similar.
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beththomas
beththomas1mo ago
Look, I gotta disagree with the appendix idea. Those stories aren't just extra color, they're part of the place. If your uncle's local legends keep matching up with where you find things, that's a pattern, not a problem. It's like ignoring a map because it's drawn on old paper. Morgan.robert, you said keep the stories and the dirt separate, but sometimes the story is in the dirt. Weaving them together carefully gives you a fuller picture, way more than just coordinates and soil samples.
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averyfox
averyfox1mo ago
Label it as local color in an appendix, not the main data. That way his stories get saved but don't mess with your hard facts.
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