Record the place.
Preserve its meaning.

A field guide for James or another trusted local collector.

1. Ask the custodian for permission to visit, record and photograph the location. Respect any restrictions.
2. At the site, open Google Maps on the phone and use the current-location indicator to orient yourself. Drop a pin at the actual landmark. Copy the latitude and longitude shown for that pin. Record the phone’s reported accuracy if available; do not invent a value.
3. Record the local place name, alternative spellings, date, collector and the person who identified the location. Explain whether the point marks an object, entrance, approximate center or traditional location.
4. For each mound, collect a separate record. Ask custodians to explain the Mẹ́ta Nílé, Mẹ́ta Lókò grouping; do not infer an arrangement from the name.
5. Record the historical account in the narrator’s words where possible. Distinguish what is visible today from what is remembered or reported.
6. Ask a second knowledgeable person to review the identification. Record disagreements and uncertainty.
7. Ask explicitly whether the place, photographs and exact coordinates may be displayed publicly. Until approved, retain the record privately.
8. Use a private, owner-approved transfer method. Do not post sensitive coordinates in public comments. A separately prepared approximate location may be used if custodians approve.

No coordinates are supplied in this guide. A map pin is field evidence, not independent proof of a historical narrative.

Download register template ↓