About THE ARCHIVE
A brief account of the Archive’s founding and its methods of documentation.
Origins of the Archive
The Blackwood Archive is an independent body maintained outside conventional academic institutions, it was created to bridge the gap between the natural world and the unexplained. What began as a personal collection of sketches and observations has evolved into a lifelong project to document and preserve what has been seen, or believed to be seen, across the world.
How Records Are Gathered
The Archive is a growing body of work, with new records added as they are uncovered or experienced. These entries are meticulously compiled through various means, including but not limited to:
- Direct Field Study: First-hand observations made capturing the essence of a location or creature in its own habitat
- Curatorial Preservation: Illustrations and notes made from the recovery and care of original documents such as weathered notebooks and translated ship manifests
- Reconstruction: Creating detailed illustrative plates based on first-person accounts and the oral traditions passed down through generations
Reliability of Accounts
I have long believed that the inability to prove something in a laboratory does not strip it of its reality. The Blackwood Archive prioritizes the weight of human experience over the cold scrutiny of modern science. We embrace the full spectrum of testimony, from detailed anatomical observations to the fragmented tales passed down through folklore.
We operate under a singular guiding principle: What remains uncertain may yet prove worthy of record.
How Reconstructed Records Work
Every specimen record begins with testimony: a first-hand account, as detailed as can be obtained, from as many independent witnesses as can be found.
Once received, accounts are cross-referenced against existing records, corroborating local reports, and historical documentation.
Taxonomy is assigned by the presiding archivist using the Blackwood classification schema. Physical evidence, where available, is noted but not required: its absence has never been a reason to dismiss an account.
The Archive neither endorses nor denies the literal existence of any documented specimen. We record what was seen, by whom, and when. What the reader makes of that is their own affair.
Submit An Account
The Archive continues to receive accounts from members of the public. If you have witnessed something that resists ordinary explanation, we would like to hear from you. All correspondence is treated with complete discretion.
Correspondence Address
The Blackwood Archive
Unit 125305, PO Box 6945, London, W1A 6US