The KAAK archive came into existence in 2018 and comprises a diverse collection of excavation records in the form of drawings, plans, diaries, as well as letters, videos, and legacies handed down by former researchers.
These are documents compiled mainly by German-speaking archaeologists involved in projects in various countries in South Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific, dating back as early as the days shortly after the commission's founding
The archive's focal point consists of an extensive photographic collection comprising around 50 different holdings. Next to slides and negatives in 35 mm and medium formats, it further contains image prints in different formats as well as digital images. Overall, it counts more than 30,000 small and medium format slides, 25,000 small and medium format negatives, 3,000 photo prints and 230,000 digital photos.
The photographs stem from archaeological excavations, sites and discoveries but also include images of landscapes and local populations. They document both the commission's fieldwork and everyday local life as well.
The printed and paper is currently being digitised and integrated to AtoM, the archive portal of the DAI and made available online via iDAI.objects.