LVR-Landesmuseum Bonn: Inventory books

The inventory list of the Landesmuseum Bonn dates back to its founding in 1820. It includes both archaeological and art-historical objects. Initially, items added to the collection were recorded with a serial number, a brief description and, in rare cases, a simple line drawing. This practice underwent various changes over the decades. Today, a year with a main number and sub-number(s) replaces the consecutive inventory number. In addition, comprehensive thesauri enable objects to be classified, while photographs have replaced drawings. Regardless of these modifications, the basic principle of recording – inventory number, object description and pictorial documentation – remains unchanged to this day and ensures that objects are documented unambiguously.