Workbook on Digital Private Papers > Glossary
Glossary - P
Provenance
The principle of provenance is central to archival practice. Essentially, it stipulates that archives originating from one source (e.g. the papers accumulated by a single individual) should be maintained as an integral whole, and should not be mixed with archives which come from other sources - even if they cover the same subject matter. This is sometimes referred to as 'respect des fonds'. By respecting provenence archivists can ensure that the context of an archive - and therefore its integrity, authenticity and evidential value - is preserved over time. Provenance is closely linked to the principle of original order.
