Meaning of unprovenanced | Babel Free

Definitions

Lacking provenance; unknown source.

Examples

“Near-synonym: unprovenienced”

“There are many problems associated with artifacts and objects that lack a secure archaeological context. As Biblical Archaeology Review readers know, we typically describe such objects as “unprovenanced” (or, more accurately, unprovenienced). Since they were not found through controlled scientific excavation and often enter collections through the antiquities market, unprovenanced objects present serious practical, ethical, and even legal issues that scholars must consider when discussing them.”

““Unprovenienced” is to be differentiated from “unprovenanced,” which refers to artifacts whose ownership history is unknown.”

CEFR level