1. the place of origin or earliest known history of something
Usage: formal; often used in archaeology and art history

Examples

• The museum carefully documented the provenience of each artifact.
• Archaeologists recorded the exact provenience of the pottery fragments.
• The painting’s provenience could be traced back to a private collection in France.
• Without clear provenience, the authenticity of the ancient coin was questioned.
• The researcher investigated the provenience of the manuscript.
• Legal ownership depends partly on establishing the artwork’s provenience.