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Digital Exhibit Captions and Image Care

Overview

Images can make the site feel richer, but captions must keep evidence boundaries visible. A logo, illustration, field photo, map crop, or archival image should say what it is, where it came from, what rights apply, and what it does not prove.

What this helps you learn

  • Decorative artwork should be labeled as artwork, not evidence.
  • Field photos need place, date, source, and permission status.
  • Map images need title, creator, date, repository, and scale context.
  • Archival images need citation details and careful language around people and sensitive sites.

Careful claims

  • Do not use images of sacred, funerary, private, or living-person material without review.
  • Do not imply a generated or decorative image is a historical reconstruction.
  • Do not use a caption as a substitute for a source citation.

Research path

  • Write captions in the pattern: what it is, source trail, why it appears here, and limits.
  • Add alt text that names function and content without overclaiming.
  • Send sensitive imagery to owner review before public use.

Evidence note: This starter entry is educational. Add sources, dates, maps, Community Notes, and Fact Checks as research develops.

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