Automating Google Workspace (GWS) & more with Apps Script
EAA2013 Archaeological Recording Methods - How Many Archaeologists does it take to Make a Recording System?
1. How many archaeologists does it take to make a recording system?
What are the implications of using different recording methodologies and
terminologies for the data that we generate? What are the possible implications for
semantically linked and open data?
by
Keith May
@Keith_May
Incorporating work by (amongst others)
Prof Doug Tudhope, Ceri Binding
Faculty of Advanced Technology
University of South Wales
4. Data is derived at different stages in
archaeological project process
Archive data - may be
re-used as Start of
another Investigation
Investigation data -
recording on site
Analysis data -
studies, usually off-
site
Publication data - results
disseminated
5. Simplified Conceptual Reference Model for
Interoperability
Key Concepts for data
Interoperability
Contexts/SU, Finds, Groups,
Samples, Phases, Research
Objectives
Groups & Phases only come at
Analysis & Publication stages
May also depend upon recording
methodology
6. Stratigraphic Units
Spatial Coordinates
Finds
Contexts
are deposited in
Groups Samples
are taken from
Phases
Dates/
Timespans
Periods
Investigations
are within
Took Place
at
are within
Identifies
Identifies
Identifies
date
datedate
Spatio-
Temporal
Relations
Research
Objectives
Inform
Simplified Conceptual Model (CRM-EH)
for Interoperability between archaeological records
7. Examination of some examples of
Archaeological Recording Systems
UK - English Heritage
Germany - Bavaria
Italy - Rome
Catalhoyuk
Israeli - Tell es-Safi
8. Field record based data modelling
Model common ‘core’ of Archaeological
processes
Principle archaeological concepts modelled
as CRM entities & relationships
Limited degree of minute detail
Matrix holds stratigraphic relationships
N.B. Distinguishing positive Deposits
from negative Cuts
9. With thanks to Gerald Hiebel
English Heritage
Recording Manual
13. Italy
Rome - Lo Scavo Archeologico
manual
Unita startigraphica - Context
1.US muralia (walls)
2. US di rivestimento (painted
plaster)
3.Etc
Distinguish Stratigraphic Units and relationships
(matrix) & Positive & Negatives Units
14. Catalhoyuk
Units - Stratigraphic units,
similar to Contexts
Features - groupings of
units or more complex
structures, similar to
MoLA Groups
15. Israeli - Tell es-Safi
Stratum - distinct level of human activity
(horizon)
Locus - the basic features of excavation
(e.g. a floor, a pit, a dump). Recorded with
UID on a Locus card
Basket/Bucket - Unit of excavation with
all finds from the same Locus
Stratigraphic relations recorded between
Loci
16. Israeli – e.g.Tell es-Safi
Stratum - distinct level of human
activity (horizon)
Locus - the basic features of
excavation (e.g. a floor, a pit, a
Layer). Recorded with UID on a
Locus card
Basket/Bucket - Unit of
excavation with all finds from the
same Locus
Stratigraphic relations recorded
between Loci
17. With thanks to Gerald Hiebel
Example of Israeli
Recording Practice
18. Digging by fixed levels - Spits
Non-stratigraphic approaches
America - Texas (Coulson) system
Other examples in Europe?
19. Conceptual Models and Knowledge ResourcesConceptual Models and Knowledge Resources
CIDOC CRM [ http://cidoc.ics.forth.gr/ ]
CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model
International standard ISO 21127:2006
CRM-EH [ http://purl.org/crmeh ]
English Heritage Ontological Model
Extends CIDOC CRM for EH archaeological
domain
SKOS [ http://www.w3.org/2004/02/skos/ ]
Simple Knowledge Organization System
RDF representation of thesauri, glossaries,
taxonomies, classification schemes etc.
20. Other important mechanisms for Semantic
interoperability include syntactic alignment
Shared Vocabularies
Using E55 Type and SKOS to relate
different terminologies together
see following diagram showing how
CRM E55 types & SKOS work
21. “cast iron”
rdf:value
crm:P105F.consists_of
CRM data instance
EHE0009.ContextFind
[http://...#..12345]
EHE0030.ContextFindMaterial
[http://......]
Linking CRM E55 Type and SKOS
Property: EHP10F.is_represented_by (represents)
Domain: crm:E55.Type
Range: skos:Concept
“cast iron”
skos:prefLabel
skos:broader
“Dating from the 15th century,
it is a hard alloy of iron and
carbon, melted and shaped
into various moulded forms”
skos:scopeNote
SKOS thesaurus concept
skos:Concept
[http://...#97992]
skos:Concept
[http://...#97805]
EHP10F.is_represented_by
23. Heritage Data Thesauri -Linked Open Data (SKOS)Heritage Data Thesauri -Linked Open Data (SKOS)
Monument types thesaurus
- classification of monument type records
Evidence thesaurus
- archaeological evidence
Object types thesaurus
- archaeological objects
Building Materials thesaurus
- construction materials
Archaeological Sciences thesaurus
- sampling and processing methods and
materials
Timelines thesaurus
- periods, and time-based entities
26. Conclusions and Challenges
Different archaeological recording systems share
common conceptual frameworks and semantic
relationships
By conceptualising common relationships in our
different data sets at a broad level we can cross-
search data for patterns and broader answers to
related research questions
The technologies are being developed but is their
a common will for sharing archaeological data
openly in the interests of improving research
methods?
27. References
Steve Roskams. "Excavation"
Catalin Pavel. "Describing and Interpreting the Past"
Tudhope, May, Binding, Vlachidis. "Connecting
Archaeological Data and Grey Literature via Semantic Cross
Search" - Internet Archaeology Vol 30
http://intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue30/tudhope_index.html
Contact:
Keith.May@english-heritage.org.uk
@Keith_May