A room of one's own: storage of the archeo-paleontological collection at CENIEH. Past, present and future of the archeo-paleontological collections from Sierra de Atapuerca sites at the National Research Centre on Human Evolution (Burgos, Spain) storages rooms

Abstract

The National Research Centre on Human Evolution focuses on the research of Late Neogene and Quaternary eras, including projects at sites all over the world. In addition, the CENIEH takes up the role of a museum by safeguarding, managing and conserving archeo-paleontological collections from the Pleistocene Sierra de Atapuerca sites (Burgos, Spain), declared UNESCO World Heritage. The CENIEH has over 300 m² with 1,460 linear meters of shelfs, distributed in compact storage bins. Every room is independently RH & T-controlled with a monitoring system. Throughout these 18 years, we have struggled for scientists and managers to recognize that the value of this heritage lies not only in their scientific data, but it also has a cultural and natural value in itself. We believe that preserving the cultural wholeness and realize its scientific purpose are both goals equally important and not mutually exclusive, and it should start by giving them a proper room of their own.