Archive Overview & Methodology
This directory contains cryptographically verified captures from the foundational decade of the World Wide Web. Each entry includes original HTML/CSS structure, MIME types, server headers, and a timestamped WARC file preserved under ISO 28500 standards.
Our crawling infrastructure prioritizes historical accuracy over modernization. Legacy frames, table-based layouts, Netscape-specific tags, and early CGI scripts are preserved in their native rendering context. All captures are signed via timestamped hash verification.
Filter & Browse
| Archive ID | Original URL | Capture Date | Format | Status | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W1990.0821 | http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/ | 1990-12-25 | HTML 1.0 | Verified | Render |
| G1995.3341 | http://geocities.com/Area51/Cavern/6841/ | 1995-06-12 | HTML 2.0 + CGI | Recovered | Render |
| B1997.1102 | http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/1942/ | 1997-03-08 | HTML 3.2 + Frames | Verified | Render |
| E1999.0445 | https://www.1990webarchive.org/collection/edu/ | 1999-11-30 | HTML 4.01 | Verified | Render |
Research & Citation Guidelines
- Always cite the original capture timestamp and Archive ID, not the rendered URL.
- Use the WARC format for archival compliance (ISO 28500 / IETF RFC 2616).
- For academic use, request signed checksums via the REST API or contact curation@1990webarchive.org.
- Multimedia captures (MIDI, animated GIFs, QuickTime) are preserved at original bitrates.
Example Citation:
1990 Web Archive. "http://[original-url]". Captured [YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS UTC]. Archive ID: [W/G/E]-[YEAR].[SEQ]. Accessed [current-date]. Verified via SHA-256 hash chain.
1990 Web Archive. "http://[original-url]". Captured [YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS UTC]. Archive ID: [W/G/E]-[YEAR].[SEQ]. Accessed [current-date]. Verified via SHA-256 hash chain.