Places, People, Events and Stuff; building blocks for archaeological information systems

Abstract

Archaeological information is by its very nature complex and uncertain. Typically, databases (when used) are used to record a 'perfect' and simplified version of the available archaeological information; there is little room for multivocality, uncertainty is reduced to a value qualifier and fundamental concepts are semantically indistinct. It is time for archaeological information systems to move forward with respect to core concepts of subjectivity, multivocality, temporality and uncertainty. This paper will examine how these concepts can successfully be modelled and made explicit within archaeological information systems, such theoretical constructs being independent of any modelling language or implementation platform. This paper will then present related work on a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) being developed by a commercial archaeological unit based around these core concepts. Finally the paper will explore avenues for improving exchange of information, specifically ways in which SDI principals and technologies could be applied to UK local and national heritage records.