On-line social networks provide a means for rapid communication between widely dispersed networks of people. The information generated by users of these networks provides an unfiltered snapshot of social mores and opinions at any point in time and is a hugely significant resource for those interested in human behaviour. Amongst social networking media the micro-blogging tool twitter is particularly noteworthy for functioning in near real-time and providing information on the spatial location of individuals at the point of posting. It thus becomes possible to reconstruct both social and spatial patterns of behaviours from an archive of users’ postings. In this paper we describe the development of a tool to harvest the geolocated tweets from users throughout the UK and the preliminary findings from analysis of some 1.87 million unique tweets collected over a 49 day period.

1. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past Keith Challis, IBM Vista, Institute of Archaeology & Antiquity Dr Mourad Oussalah and Faizan Bhat , School of Engineering, Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering Dr Thorsten Schnier, CERCIA, School of Computer Science

4. Building a Twitter Harvesting Application

7. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past

9. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past

10. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past

11. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past

12. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past

13. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past

14. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past

15. So What Have We Learned?

18. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past RT @archaeologynews: Wreck of USS Revenge discovered off of Rhode Island http:/ Is rather determined to pass my archaeology exam!-i know my sites, key words jst Might combine it with archaeology and go somewhere "old" and trowel through mole Me and @archaeologyBoy have succeeded in getting a photo of me with a normal siz Goodness me, archaeology is boring. @atomicburgers I wanted to be an archaeologist. I blame Tomb Raider. This is genuine social media archaeology --> RT @chrismessina first hashtag ever Right I need to: write my coursework plan, answer 2 beethy archaeology exam ques @maryrose246 yeah I have done no classics/archaeology revision at all @mumsrock @zooarchaeologis but root canal was much cheaper on nhs. Dentist mixed http://bit.ly/fySaG2 CBA community archaeology bursaries. Visualising Portus (Roman harbours - my favourite type of archaeology) and 2nd l Recent updates from @pennmuseum are worth following. Great archaeological collec An archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have; the older she gets, the m @zooarchaeologis urgh! I still have horrible memories of getting it as a teen. H RT @archaeologynews: Fourth Great Escape tunnel to be excavated: @mrarchaeologist heck that'll be a format change and a half LOVE IT @mrarchaeologist don't get me wrong... I love the daily show, but it took years @mrarchaeologist yeh... but really where is there a British equivalent? HIGNIFY. CASPAR seminar 2 producing archaeology for tv Charles Furneaux. 4pm, room 612 IO @zooarchaeologis no one was more shocked when I got addicted but had to stop due @zooarchaeologis have you looked into British military fitness? Highly recommend

20. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past @SpiceGirlMuseum wow I can't wait to see your collection at Leeds museum gear yo Just seen a pangolin in the natural history museum. Haha they look stupid @cormacflynn how was leprechaun museum? Lunch after the museum. — at The Plough http://gowal.la/c/3fsap Just laid under a suspended Sea Harrier, there are museums that don't let you ge we are at the national railway museum in York. #funtimes! Going to take our friend's little boy to @railwaymuseum in York for his first ev At the RAF museum at Hendon on a boys day out @ RAF Museum London http://instag Off into london film museum now! #excited. Canal Boat - another boat museum photo #flickr #photography #photo http://flic.k Mum : if we go to tmhe museum today then we re going shopping tomorrow Nooo museum </3 @dawnhfoster I agree with the others. The Sir John Soanes museum is fascinating. I am not going to a museum end of. YOU LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE !! Bus to the pencil museum, Keswick anyone? http://yfrog.com/hseg5zkj Picnic made. We taking on the tube for family outing to natural history museum. Via @culturevultures rt @futureofmuseums: http://bit.ly/gL8YR5 <- Great article Having a rest after rushing round the museum — at Starbucks Elmwood Ave http:/ Checking out the science museum. Pretty intense. Mmm, gravity always wins... #naturalhistorymuseum http://twitpic.com/3kw75w ht RT @bridgetmck: Interesting news that Delhi plans a Tate Modern style art museum @daveyfong It belongs in a museum, that's what I told my aunt Getting a slow start after a busy day yesterday. A museum and a library are on t

21. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past

23. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past

26. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past

27. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past

30. So Now What..?

33. “ Goodness me archaeology is boring” CAA 2011 The internet, micro-blogging and what we really think about the past

35. Thanks Keith Challis, IBM Vista, Institute of Archaeology & Antiquity Dr Mourad Oussalah and Faizan Bhat , School of Engineering, Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering Dr Thorsten Schnier, CERCIA, School of Computer Science