e03 liat weinblum_stefan_munger_dana_software_fiedl_archaeologists
TRANSCRIPT
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