Digital Archaeology and National Archives A New Software Tool for Field Archaeologists

Liat Weinblum (Israel Antiquities Authority)

Dr. Stefan Münger (University of Bern)

Khirbet Adasse, excavated by Yehiel Zelinger, 2015

The Envisioned Tool

• Easy adaptation to diverse work

situations in the field

• Time efficient

• Streamlining archaeological

documentation processes

• Simplifying administrative

reporting

• Easy connectivity to pre-existing

institutional IT-framework

‘Enot Nisanit, excavated by Yotam Tepper, 2012

The Development of

the System

• Stand-alone solution not

depending on network

connectivity

• Adaptation to different work

contexts

• Method sensitive

• Scalability

• Integration into existing

workflows

Khirbet Adasse, excavated by Yehiel Zelinger, 2015

Focus on Usability

• User friendliness

• Streamlining of excavation

processes using a common

‘archaeological language’

(thesaurus)

• Full standardization of all IAA

excavations

• Efficiency of post-excavation

processes

Khirbet Adasse, excavated by Yehiel Zelinger, 2015

Technical specifications

of the System

• Based of FileMaker Pro, V.

12.0.3 and higher

• GUI enhanced on basis of

OpenLayers, V. 13.0.1 and

other open-source libraries

• CalcEngine expanded using

e.g. GeoScript (Groovy)

• Third-party plugins

• ODBC connectivity, data

exchange via XML, geoJSON

etc.

Ramat Beth Shemesh, excavated by Itzhak Paz, 2014

The Implementation

of the System

• Alpha phase focused on

• Applicability of the system

• Definition of work processes

• Usability in the field

• Efficiency

• DANA = Digital Archaeology

and National Archives

• Full implementation since 2014

with c. 300 excavations p.a.

Post-excavation

Processes

• Excavation report in PDF format

• Data export to institutional IT-

framework

• Bureaucratical procedure

closing

• Photographic archive

• Data export and import to/from

experts

• Data export for GIS analysis

Conclusion

• Ongoing development of

software components

• Constant monitoring of user

experience in order to achieve

best possible usability

• Positive feedback of field staff

and institutional administrative

units

Nahal Shiqma, excavated by Rina Avner, 2013

Thank you for your attention!

Ness Ziona, excavated by Uzi Ad, 2013 Khirbet Adasse, 2015

Nahal Shiqma, 2012