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Human Bioarchaeology: a case study for standards in data
collection & curation, with a particular focus on the Museum
of London's WORD database
Victoria Yorke-Edwards
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The case for standardisation…
Difficulties with data-sharing
1980s Variety of methodologies in use
Issues with terminology Rising call for population-based approaches and cross-cultural comparison
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NAGPRA….
• The National Museum of the American Indian Act (1989)
• The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (1990) – Requirement that all US museums and
laboratories: • Produce inventories of their collections of human
remains • Consult with Native American Tribes with a view
to repatriation, as appropriate
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The ‘Chicago Standards’
A seminar/ workshop was held in 1991, charged with developing data collection
standards, after negotiations began between the Blackfeet
tribe and the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago
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Databases
Requirement for inventories: e.g. The Smithsonian Institution’s • The Standard Osteological Database • The Smithsonian Institution’s Repatriation
Osteology Laboratory Database Wider projects: • The Global History of Health
Project (Ohio State University)
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Back in Britain…..
Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums (DCMS, 2005:22)
“Museums should have a policy to compile and
make public an inventory of their holdings of
human remains. This should include known information about the
date and provenance of the remains and their exact nature and the
circumstances of their acquisition.”
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Back in Britain…..
British Association of Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology (BABAO) / IFA ‘Guidelines to the Standards for Recording Human Remains’ (2004)
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But what about data curation?
‘Grey Literature’: Of 311 reports on human skeletal remains considered for use, 38% were unpublished… …many only known about through ‘word-of-mouth’
(2003)
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Whilst there are now standards for data collection there is NO common standard for how that data is curated. Records are held in the form of card indexes, paper reports…..
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Whilst there are now standards for data collection there is NO common standard for how that data is curated. Records are held in the form of card indexes, paper reports…. on obsolete electronic storage devices……. or in Excel & Access spreadsheets on researchers’ computers…..
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A Database of Archaeological Sites Yielding Human Remains in England; Biological Anthropology Research Centre; Synthesys; Living with the Dead Database; Early Anglo-Saxon Census Project British and Irish On-Line Database Index to Excavated Skeletons; The Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project;
Databases
Increasing number of databases: Differences in: • Software • Accessibility • Type of information recorded Issues with long-term upkeep
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THE WELLCOME OSTEOLOGICAL RESEARCH DATABASE
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The Museum of London
Curates more than 17,000 skeletons, excavated in ‘rescue’ digs in Greater London over more than 30 years.
Largest scientifically excavated and documented human bone assemblage from any city in the world.
Skeletal collection covers prehistoric to post-medieval periods.
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The WORD Project
Developed in-house by osteologist Brian Connell & the museum’s IT manager, Peter Rauxloh in 2002
Planned with aim to publically share data online
For all holdings of skeletal assemblages of over 50 individuals
Designed to ensure integrity and speed of data
entry
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The Database
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Inventory of Upper Limbs, showing binary recording
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Inventory of Permanent Dentition – using codes for recording (PDF manual)
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Age at death data – listed methods applied and coded as per manual
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The Museum experience
Standardisation of records of all skeletal assemblages held
Living, changing, database Tool for curation and conservation of collections
Has increased use and interest in collections from outside the museum
Ability to interrogate database and test hypotheses quickly
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Sharing the Data
Launch of data downloads online in 2007
Importance of giving context
Inclusion of images, case reports for selected skeletons
Format decision shaped by availability/ cost of software to the public
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The ‘outside’ user experience • Public access to data. BUT:
NO access to Oracle Database • Downloads • Extensive guidance documents
online: – To aid downloading – To explain osteological methods
used – To explain recording system
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http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/Collections-Research/LAARC/Centre-for-Human/Bioarchaeology/Database/
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Downloads
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Tab-delimited data downloads
Format
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Advantages: • Does not require users to have an Oracle
license • Can be opened by a wide variety of software
packages • Users can have a copy of the data on their own
computer • File sizes are small
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Disadvantages: • Database downloaded as separate sheets, not as
relational database, although some standard fields found in all files
• Does not always convert neatly into tables in the chosen software
• Converting formats can be time consuming • Need manual to understand coding
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Photographs
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Users
International
……Artists… …the Media…. …writers…….
• Archaeological students: from undergrads to PhD candidates
• Archaeologists • Medical/ Biomedical
researchers
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User Information
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Citing the Database
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The Future of Osteological Data Sharing
Increased ability to identify samples for research, leading to use of less heard of collections
Transnational projects? Meta-analyses?
Improvements in skeletal collection management
Reduced manual handling of collections
Further standardisation of data collection methods and range of techniques
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Issues
• Format for data-sharing? • Software requirements • Data coding • Static or updated? • Citation of data