A database archiving method includes storing a plurality of record fields, wherein each of the plurality of record fields is a field of a record of the database, and storing in a first database archive an index that includes at least one record entry, wherein each of the at least one record entry references at least one record field of the database. The plurality of record fields is stored independently of the first database archive, and each field included in more than one record of any single table of the database is stored for the more than one record as a single record field referenced by a plurality of record entries, each of the plurality of record entries corresponding to a different one of the more than one record.