there are many indicators that can give you the answer when reading documentation conscientiously .
- the archiving object name, it contains VBAK, not VBAP. VBAK is the header table for sales orders
- the docu always speaks about sales orders, not about sales order items
- archiving is only done for closed business cases, 1 order = 1 business case
- and then just the logical sense of order. if you store your bicycle for the winter time in a cellar, do you then disassemble it and keep one wheel in the hallway?