Do you remember the essay in the landscape?

"Essay in the landscape", Åsa grave field, Sörmland

Within archaeology there are several forms of information due to, for example technical development and administrative standards. The same goes for the information about archaeological information.

As of today we have several examples of cultural heritage site information disseminated through for example apps and audio guides. While we enjoy the new possibilities the old forms of information about historical sites or events receive less attention. Signs decay or are, as the sign in the picture, since long fenced in beyond reach.

With the current awareness of how information and narratives about historical events and sites also are a constituent part of cultural heritage, the boundary between cultural heritage and cultural heritage information has become less definite. In relation to the "essay in the landscape"-style signs from previous times we arrive at a new question: when do an information sign about a heritage site turn into a part of the heritage site?

Open lecture: Antonia Davidovic Making Knowledge. The anthropology of archaeological knowledge production

Archaeological Information in the Digital Society (ARKDIS) research project presents an open lecture by Professor Dr. Antonia Davidovic (Environmental Anthropology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Germany) titled Making Knowledge. The anthropology of archaeological knowledge production on Tuesday 21 Januari, 2014 at 10.15-12.00 in Room 6/0031, English Park Campus, Uppsala University. Thunbergsvägen 3H, 75126 Uppsala.

The Ostlänken archaeological investigations in GIS

One of the major archaeological projects in terms of rescue excavation in Sweden the coming years will be the Ostlänken project, a new railroad connecting the south of Stockholm (Järna) with Linköping through a double track railroad. Since this will pass through areas that are rich in archaeological remains, there will be much archaeological excavations carried out before the railroad is constructed. There are, however, also several sites that has been excavated previously, and identifying these and collecting the results of these is part of an archaeological investigation (Swe: utredning). Since this is such a large project with a lot of previous excavations, the County Boards (Länsstyrelse) in Östergötland and Södermanland, togheter with Trafikverket, has decided to start this work with a thorough examination of previous archaeological activities. The project is funded by Trafikverket and carried out at the department of archaeology, Uppsala University, with Daniel Löwenborg from the ARKDIS project as coordinator.

The "corridor" of Ostlänken and registered archaeological sites that previously seen some excavations.

The aim of the project is to create a GIS dataset with all previous excavations (back to 1965) so that they can be used as a starting point for further excavations and planning. Where available, we collect digital data and harmonise this (data structure and coordinate systems). Where there is no digital data we use plans that we georeference and digitise. The great challenge here is to use old excavations with old or local coordinate systems, which can be very time consuming to fix. It is really fascinating to see excavations from the 1970’s and 80’s “come to life” as they are brought into the system so that they can be seen in their correct location and compared to modern landscape and other excavations. This is a huge benefit compared to having to rely on reports with plans and maps that might be very difficult to relate to a modern map.

The burial ground Kvillinge 68:1, excavated in 1975. More info about this site at the Swedish National Heritage Board here. 

When the project is finished the data will be made available openly for further use and research through the Swedish National Data Service, where data previously collected likewise already is available, and this data forms part of the SND participation in the EU project ARIADNE. Having access to standardised detailed GIS data from excavations has great potential for research, especially if it will be possible to include data from new excavations in a searchable database that will bring together the data produced from all excavations. This will allow future archaeologists to analyse a digital archaeological puzzle at a landscape scale, using the information from a large number of excavations to better understand the development of settlements and society within the area.

The archaeologists working on the GIS project, Emelie Svenman, Amanda Norgren, Sebastian Lihaugen and Anders Bornfalk-Back.

Archaeological information, quantitative methods and computers in Lund

ARKDIS project was a co-organiser of this year's Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology Sweden (CAA-SE) conference in Lund in December 2-4, 2013. We were altogether over 60 participants and had an interesting programme for three days. During the first two days we had paper presentations and two keynotes given by Philip Verhagen (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) and Sofia Pescarin (CNR ITABC). Philip discussed least cost path modelling and different aspects of travelling using two case studies from Low Countries and Cappadocia showing that there is plenty of work to do in this rather long-researched but highly under-theorised area. Sofia's talk gave a broad overview of the notions of virtual museum and various aspects pertaining to the the public presentation of archaeological virtual realities. The third day was reserved for a visit to Lund University Design Centre and Humanities Lab where the conference participants had an opportunity to acquaint themselves with the current projects of the Humanities lab.

The programme had a good spread of papers from senior researchers, doctoral students, professionals and master's students. Similarly, thematically the conference covered all covnetional CAA-themes from quantitative methods and GIS to 3D and data management and public presentations of archaeology. From my own point of view, it was interesting to hear updates from Marcus Smith from the National Heritage Board on the Digital Archaeological Processes Programme and Ulf Jakobsson on the work on the Swedish National Data Archive and their work on the archiving of archaeological research data. Other highlights were the 3d data capture and modelling related presentations given by the master's students of Lund University that really opened the technical issues related to capturing of 3d data and gave a promise of the diffusion of these methods to become a part of the everyday work practices of archaeologists in the future.

Bodil Petersson from the ARKDIS project discussed her and Carolina Larsson's work on exhibitions and exhibiting archaeology in collaborations with Kivik museum and in general the different aspects of combining art and communication of archaeology. One of the interesting observations of the presentation was the question whether artists and designers should be involved in the archaeological fieldwork already in the beginning of the investigation process rather than only after the archaeologists have in practice handed over their documentation to a museum.

Another ARKDIS presentation was given by Per Stenborg who discussed the implications and consequences of digital presentations. He presented a number of interesting questions on the capabilities of digital surrogates to replace physical artefacts and sites, and for instance their implications for the repatriation debates. A significant aspect of these types of questions is that they really help to understand the nature and role of digital surrogates, the significant aspects of cultural heritage objects and how they can be vastly different for different individuals and groups.

3D and/or data management at CHNT18

The 18th incarnation of the Conference on Cultural heritage and new technology (CHNT18), earlier in its prehistory known as workshop Archäologie und Computer had several tracks, but somehow it seemed that the two main themes that have been prevailing for the last 15 or so years are still going strong: 3D and data management. In some sense we are still discussing about how to create impressive (both technically and visually) models and representations of archaeological entities and presenting yet another open and "open"  (relational) database solutions for the documentation of archaeological data of which the latter ones tend to be geared either toward heritage management or documentation needs of individual projects or institutions. Apart from ARCHES project and ARIADNE infrastructure related session, there is very little concrete talk about preservation.

Even if there might be some reason to be a bit cynic, the field is progressing. The use of 3D for research purposes, quick capture and processing of data for specific rather than "this might be somehow useful" -purposes, and development of data management for actual (albeit sometimes narrow) needs of researchers and heritage managers are something that wasn't discussed too much for some years ago. Also the whole focus on research infrastructures and the acknowledgement of (at least in principle) the benefits of open and well-documented data is something that is quite laudable even if many obstacles are still on the way to a large scale deployment of interoperable infrastructures. Further, a significant aspect is the interest and initiative of major regional and national authorities on these initiatives instead of individual geeks (as was the case for a decade ago) interested in such metaphysical things as data and information management. The fact is that an infrastructure is not sustainable without a backing of the responsible authorities, either directly as their owners or committed sponsors of broader international and/or community efforts.

The ARKDIS project participated the event with a poster and a presentation by Isto on the aspects of determining documentation and authenticity of archaeological entities on the basis of a study of how archaeologists interpret a ball-point pen as if it would be an archaeological object.

ARKDIS at CHNT conference in Vienna

ARKDIS-project will be presented on Tuesday Nov 12, 2013 at the CHNT conference in Vienna by Isto with a poster on the project and a presentation of a case study of a potential method  for documentation of the features and interpretations of archaeological objects, features and structures. Presentation materials can be found at istohuvila.se

Examples of archaeological 3D projects in Uppåkra, Catalhöyuk and Gamla Uppsala - lecture in Uppsala

Archaeological Information in the Digital Society (ARKDIS) Research Project organises an open lecture by Dr. Nicolo Dell'Unto (Lund University) and Dr. Daniel Löwenborg (Uppsala University) titled Examples of archaeological 3D projects in Uppåkra, Catalhöyuk and Gamla Uppsala on Friday 27 September, 2013 at 13.15-14.00 Room 2/K1024, English Park Campus, Uppsala University.