Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for archiving data from a database. One method includes identifying a data record to be archived; determining the contents of an archive record, the archive record having values for a first plurality of attributes in the data record; storing the archive record in a data archive; determining the contents of an index record, the index record comprising values for a second plurality of attributes in the data record; adding the index record to a dictionary-based archive index with a reference to the location of the archive record in the data archive; deleting the data record from the database; accepting a query for a desired archive record; and performing a search of the archive index to find the desired archive record.