A recontextualization of provenance: Records in Contexts and the principle of provenance

As the first conceptual framework for archival description on an international level, the conceptual model Records in Contexts has the potential to revolutionize the archival field. The responses from the archival community strongly suggest that Records in Contexts represents a paradigm shift. Since it has initiated discussions about the fundamentals of archival science, questions arise on how this new method harmonizes with the principle of provenance, which has long been a cornerstone of archival practice. The documentation and literature on Records in Contexts consist of contradictory statements regarding the principle of provenance. While it deliberately avoids redefining old concepts and principles, it also alludes to an enhanced and dynamic interpretation of provenance, closely aligned with the notion of context and characterized as an expansion of the principle of provenance. This article addresses this issue and analyzes how Records in Contexts addresses previous criticisms regarding the principle of provenance. It will be shown that new notions are not explicitly linked to the concepts of fonds, provenance, and original order. The paper examines the role of the principle of provenance within the conceptual model, demonstrating that the idea of expansion is a misleading characterization. It concludes by advocating for the adoption of a new perspective.