Provenance on the object, or an account of it in written materials from the same era, an object of study in archaeology or cultural anthropology may have an early provenance – a known history that predates modern research – then a provenience from its modern finding, and finally a continued provenance relating to its handling and storage or display after the modern acquisition. Evidence of provenance in the more general sense can be of importance in archaeology. Fakes are not unknown, and finds are sometimes removed from the context in which they were found without documentation, reducing their value to science.
Provenance also be shipping labels. In the BBC TV programme "Fake or Fortune?" the provenance of the painting "Bords de la Seine à Argenteuil" was investigated using a gallery sticker and shipping label on the back. Early provenance can sometimes be indicated by a "cartellino" (a representation of an inscribed label) added to the front of a painting. However, these can be forged, or can fade or be painted over. Auction records are an important resource to assist in researching the provenance of paintings. If a painting has been in private hands for an extended period and on display in a