Archaeology in the Digital Age: From Paper to Databases

TL;DR

This paper discusses the transition of archaeological archives from paper-based records to structured digital databases, emphasizing the importance of formalization and user-friendly access to enhance research efficiency.

Contribution

It introduces a framework for formalizing and structuring archaeological archives to improve accessibility and usability in digital formats.

Findings

Digitization alone is insufficient for effective access.

Structured databases facilitate easier consultation of archives.

Formalization enhances the usability of archaeological data.

Abstract

Research units in archaeology often manage large and precious archives containing various documents, including reports on fieldwork, scholarly studies and reference books. These archives are of course invaluable, recording decades of work, but are generally hard to consult and access. In this context, digitizing full text documents is not enough: information must be formalized, structured and easy to access thanks to friendly user interfaces.