FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Here are the questions most often asked by people taking their first look at old documents or a family album. The answers are short and general: they help you get your bearings and decide where to go next, but they are no substitute for advice from an archivist.
A good question to a document is half the answer. A bad one leads to a beautiful but invented story.
How we chose the material: a question makes the list if it can be answered in general terms without invented details. We do not provide information about specific people or documents.
About this guide
What is this site?
An independent guide to working with historical sources: what kinds there are, how archives are organised, how to date a document or a photograph, and how to test stories about the past.
Is this guide connected with the former website?
No. This domain once hosted a website on a political subject and later carried unrelated advertising. The current project has no connection with either; the name simply came along with the domain.
Do you publish political material?
No. We write only about the method of historical knowledge and deliberately avoid political topics and opinions.
Can I hire you to search for documents?
No. We do not carry out searches to order and we do not hold documents. The guide helps you work out where to turn and which questions to ask on your own.
Archives and documents
What law governs archives?
In Russia, the keeping and use of archival documents is governed by Federal Law No. 125-FZ of 22 October 2004 "On Archival Affairs in the Russian Federation". Other countries have their own archive laws and national archives, so check the rules where your documents are held.
How should I prepare for a visit to a reading room?
Find out the visiting rules and how to order files in advance, draw up a list of questions and write down all the names, dates and places you know. The more precise your request, the faster the documents will be found.
What are a fonds and a finding aid?
A fonds brings together documents of common origin, and a finding aid (an inventory) lists the files within it. You use the finding aid to locate the file you need and then order it to work with.
Why are old documents hard to read?
Unfamiliar handwriting, abbreviations, old spelling and faded ink all get in the way. Handwriting samples, glossaries of archaic words and patience help: the eye adjusts faster than you might think.
Photographs and family history
How can I tell when a family photograph was taken?
Look at the back, at any captions and studio stamps, at the type of print, and at the clothes and objects in the picture. Compare it with other photographs from the same album.
How should I store old photographs?
In the dark, at a moderate and steady temperature, in acid-free envelopes or albums. Do not use sticky tape, and never write on the front of a photograph with a pen.
Where do I start with my family history?
With questions for older relatives and a look through papers at home. Write everything down, noting who told you and when, and then look for documentary confirmation.
What should I do with photos of people I don't recognise?
Don't throw them away. Keep them with the album, note where they were found and show them to relatives: in time someone may recognise the person in the picture.
Related sections
- Home
A guide to how historians learn about the past: sources, archives, documents and photographs.
- Old photos (in Russian)
An archived address: a step-by-step guide to reading an old photograph from a family album.
- Sources
Types of sources, their strengths and weaknesses, and how to cite them.
- Ideas
Key ideas for working with the past: source, testimony, attribution, dating, provenance, context.
Sources
- Russian Federal Law No. 125-FZ "On Archival Affairs in the Russian Federation"
- UNESCO Memory of the World programme
- Encyclopaedic sources on historiography and the history of photography
Specific dates and facts in this guide come from encyclopaedic works and official programme descriptions; everything else is described in general terms. Dates for old documents are almost always approximate, and we try to state plainly how certain we are.