Ok, I'll explain how context works. You find that shoe buckle in a field and add it to your collection with some kind of note that at least can get you back to that general area in the future. Ten years from now a project with federal money is put through there and the Archaeologists start doing a survey and ask. the people in the area if anyone has found anything, because they realize this used to be a colonial fort. If you value history you either donate it to their project or let them examine and photograph it, so they can add the information to the historical record. Despite what I've seen on these boards, Archaeologists are not the enemy. A lot of the holes in the historical record have been filled by Archaeologists doing in-depth analysis with as many pieces as they can find and where they were found. Before you say anything negative about Archaeologists, there are bad apples on both sides of this. There are relic hunters that are genuine grave robbers. I just recently found out about one in North Alabama that has actually dug into Civil War graves that are marked and in a cemetary to get belt buckles. But, I also know of Archaeologists that have made artifacts disappear from sites they were working. So, if you can, make a note of where you found something and keep it with the artifact, could come in handy some day. Once we forget where something was found (and you never know what might be significant) the information is lost forever. No, I'm not an Archaeologist, but a very serious historian.
