What provenance means in ordinary language
Keep the answer to “Where did this come from?” beside every family record.
Original Pinkas illustrations · Synthetic narration · September 28, 2026
Transcript
“Where did this come from?”
Provenance begins with a simple question. Where did this come from? For a family record, the answer can be as useful as the record itself.
Name the source
Name the source in ordinary words. For example, a scan of the letter in Aunt Rivka's album, copied in September. This is a fictional example, but the habit works with real records.
Keep changes visible
Keep changes visible. An original, a transcription and an edited copy are different things. If software suggests a name or repairs an image, label that work rather than presenting it as the original.
Leave a trail others can follow
Leave a trail that another relative can follow. Record the holder, source, date copied and later corrections. You do not need specialist language to keep a trustworthy family record.