Open Area, Open Data: Advances in Reflexive Archaeological Practice

Journal of Field Archaeology, vol. 46, pp. 62–80

Abstract

This article presents a holistic and reflexive process for archaeological fieldwork from inception to publication. The opportunities afforded by maturing digital techniques allowed fundamental rethinking of field and laboratory practice paradigms. A number of normally unquestioned aspects of archaeological praxis were examined with the goal of reorganizing information dynamics. Instead of a series of disparate processes in the field and field laboratory and during study and publication phases, a heterarchically-organized common information framework bonded all aspects of work traditionally only brought together in post-excavation processing, replacing disparate datasets and encompassing ongoing processes such as excavation recording, finds processing, and final analyses. Recording uses a common interface based on the iDig iPad app, and analyses use 3D GIS, based on comprehensive photogrammetry and an underlying all-encompassing data engine. The development and application of the process are described with reference to the excavations, study, and publication of EBA sites on Keros, Cyclades, Greece.

Authors 17

1. Michael J. Boyd corresponding

   Cyprus Institute · University of Cambridge

   Affiliation as printed

   McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

   Science and Technology in Archaeology Research Center, Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus

2. Rosie Campbell Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, Netherlands

3. Roger C. P. Doonan
   Affiliation as printed

   Archaeological Research Services Limited, Bakewell, UK

4. Catherine Douglas

   Wessex Archaeology

   Affiliation as printed

   Wessex Archaeology, Sheffield, UK

5. Georgios Gavalas
   Affiliation as printed

   Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades, Athens, Greece

6. Myrsini Gkouma

   Cyprus Institute · National and Kapodistrian University of Athens · American School of Classical Studies at Athens

   Affiliation as printed

   Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Athens, Greece

   National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

   Science and Technology in Archaeology Research Center, Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus

7. Claire Halley
   Affiliation as printed

   Independent scholar

8. Bruce Hartzler

   American School of Classical Studies at Athens · American School of Classical Studies at Athens

   Affiliation as printed

   American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Athens, Greece

9. James A. Herbst

   American School of Classical Studies at Athens · American School of Classical Studies at Athens

   Affiliation as printed

   American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Athens, Greece

10. Hallvard R. Indgjerd

    British School at Athens

    Affiliation as printed

    British School at Athens, Athens, Greece

11. Ayla Krijnen

    Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    Affiliation as printed

    Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands

12. Irini Legaki
    Affiliation as printed

    Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades, Athens, Greece

13. Evi Margaritis

    Cyprus Institute

    Affiliation as printed

    Science and Technology in Archaeology Research Center, Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus

14. Ioanna Moutafi

    University of Cambridge · American School of Classical Studies at Athens

    Affiliation as printed

    Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Science, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Athens, Greece

    McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

15. Nefeli Pirée Iliou

    University of Oxford

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

16. David A. Wylie
    Affiliation as printed

    Wylie Product Design and Engineering, UK

17. Colin Renfrew

    University of Cambridge

    Affiliation as printed

    McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK