https://phys.org/news/2024-06-digital-archaeology-excavating-decades-today.html Phys.org Topics * Week's top * Latest news * Unread news * Subscribe [ ] Science X Account [ ] [ ] [*] Remember me Sign In Click here to sign in with or Forget Password? Not a member? Sign up Learn more * Nanotechnology * Physics * Earth * Astronomy & Space * Chemistry * Biology * Other Sciences * Medical Xpress Medicine * Tech Xplore Technology [INS::INS] * * share this! * Share * Twit * Share * Email 1. Home 2. Other Sciences 3. Archaeology * * * --------------------------------------------------------------------- June 19, 2024 Editors' notes This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source written by researcher(s) proofread Digital public archaeology: Excavating data from digs done decades ago and connecting with today's communities by Emily Fletcher, The Conversation archeologist Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The ancestors of Alaska Native people began using local copper sources to craft intricate tools roughly 1,000 years ago. Over one-third of all copper objects archaeologists have found in this region were excavated at a single spot, named the Gulkana Site. This is the site I've studied for the past four years as a Ph.D. student at Purdue University. In spite of its importance, the Gulkana Site is not well known. To my knowledge, it isn't mentioned in any museums. Locals, including Alaska Native Ahtna people, who descend from the site's original inhabitants, might recognize the name, but they don't know much about what happened there. Even among archaeologists, little information is available about it--just a few reports and passing mentions in a handful of publications. However, the Gulkana Site was first identified and excavated nearly 50 years ago. What gives? Archaeology has a data management problem, and it is not unique to the Gulkana Site. U.S. federal regulations and disciplinary standards require archaeologists to preserve records of their excavations, but many of these records have never been analyzed. archaeologists refer to this problem as the "legacy data backlog." As an example of this backlog, the Gulkana Site tells a story not only about Ahtna history and copperworking innovation, but also about the ongoing value of archaeological data to researchers and the public alike. [INS::INS] What happens after an excavation? In the United States, most excavations, including those that have happened at the Gulkana Site, occur through a process called Cultural Resource Management. Since the 1960s, federal regulations in the U.S. have required archaeological excavations prior to certain development projects. Regulations also require that records of any finds be preserved for future generations. One estimate suggests that this process has created millions of records in the legacy data backlog. Archaeological data is complex, and these records include many file formats, varying from handwritten maps to pictures and spatial data. The problem is worst for datasets that were created before computers were in common use. Research suggests that archaeologists are biased toward digital datasets, which are easier to access and use with modern methods. Ignoring nondigital datasets means not only abandoning the product of decades of archaeological work, it also silences the human experiences those datasets are meant to preserve. Once a site is excavated, this data is the only way the people who lived there can tell their story. Archaeologists aren't sure how to resolve this problem. Many solutions have been proposed, including the creation of new data repositories, making new use of existing datasets whenever possible, and increasing collaboration with other disciplines and with public stakeholders. One of the more creative solutions, the Vesuvius Challenge, recently made headlines for awarding its US $700,000 grand prize to a team that successfully used artificial intelligence to read ancient text. Digital archaeology excavates old data Of course, such a complicated problem has no single miracle cure. In my work with the Gulkana Site, I'm employing many of these suggestions through a newer form of archaeology that some researchers are calling digital public archaeology. It combines digital archaeology, which uses computers in archaeological research, with public archaeology, which honors the public's interest in the past. For me, archaeology looks different than what people might expect. Instead of spending my days excavating in some fabulous location, my work involves being parked at a computer for hours on end. I dig through old information instead of digging up new information. As a digital archaeologist, I apply modern methods like AI to bring new life to decades-old data about the Gulkana Site. I write software that converts 50-year-old handwritten excavation notes into a digital map that I can analyze with a computer. Although it is less glamorous, this work is arguably more important than excavation. Excavation is merely a data collection technique; on its own, it can't reveal much about a site. This is why there is still much to learn about the Gulkana Site, even though it was excavated decades ago. Analysis is the way archaeologists learn about the past, and computers make more methods available to us than ever before. In my work, I use computational mapping techniques to study the copper artifacts recovered from the Gulkana Site. Studying where these objects were found will help us understand if they were used by all people at the Gulkana Site or reserved for a select few. [INS::INS] Connecting archaeology to communities today I am also a public archaeologist; I believe that the past is made meaningful through the people connected to it. This means that my study of the Gulkana Site would be insufficient were it conducted solely by me, alone at my computer 3,000 miles away from Alaska. Instead, I have designed my research in collaboration with descendants of the people who lived at the Gulkana Site to ensure my research holds value to them, not just to archaeologists. In my research, this means embedding opportunities for youth involvement throughout my project. Each year, I travel to Alaska to host a course about archaeology, Ahtna history, and technology in collaboration with Ahtna leadership and the local school district. In the course, we take field trips to archaeological sites and the Ahtna Cultural Center. Kids learn about the artifacts found at the Gulkana Site and have an opportunity to make their own. Ahtna leaders share cultural knowledge with students. At the end of the course, students integrate what they've learned into a video game about the Gulkana Site. The goal of my research is to bring new life to the Gulkana Site through digital methods and outreach. My experiences demonstrate that even a site excavated 50 years ago can reveal more to help us better understand the past. Perhaps more importantly, it can also help the next generation gain experience with technological skills and connect with their heritage. Old archaeological data is still meaningful in the digital age--we just have to pay attention to it. Provided by The Conversation This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.The Conversation Citation: Digital public archaeology: Excavating data from digs done decades ago and connecting with today's communities (2024, June 19) retrieved 2 July 2024 from https://phys.org/news/ 2024-06-digital-archaeology-excavating-decades-today.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Explore further Archaeologists in Louisiana save artifacts 12,000 years old from natural disasters and looters --------------------------------------------------------------------- 0 shares * Facebook * Twitter * Email Feedback to editors * Featured * Last Comments * Popular Infrared glow high in Jupiter's atmosphere may be dark matter particles colliding 9 hours ago 0 German scientists investigate supernova remnant SNR G309.8+00.0 at high energies 10 hours ago 0 The demonstration of vacuum levitation and motion control on an optical-electrostatic chip 12 hours ago 0 Machine learning algorithm proves to be highly accurate in predicting Mount St. Helens eruptions Jul 1, 2024 0 Astronomers discover a peculiar radio galaxy Jul 1, 2024 0 --------------------------------------------------------------------- [gif] Two new species of Psilocybe mushrooms discovered in southern Africa 2 hours ago [gif] UV radiation damage leads to ribosome roadblocks, causing early skin cell death 3 hours ago [gif] Dual-laser approach could lower cost of high-resolution 3D printing 3 hours ago [gif] Novel method enhances size-controlled production of luminescent quantum dots 3 hours ago [gif] Cosmic simulation reveals how black holes grow and evolve 4 hours ago [gif] How climate change is affecting where species live 4 hours ago [gif] Human presence shifts balance between leopards and hyenas in East Africa 4 hours ago [gif] Physicists' laser experiment excites atom's nucleus, may enable new type of atomic clock 4 hours ago [gif] Treatment with a mixture of antimicrobial peptides found to impede antibiotic resistance 5 hours ago [gif] Study reveals fireworks' impact on air quality 5 hours ago --------------------------------------------------------------------- Relevant PhysicsForums posts Hurricane Beryl, Early Season and Rapid Intensification 9 hours ago Mag 3.4 Earthquake under Lake Ontario, 15 km SW of Henderson, New York Jul 1, 2024 The Secrets of Prof. Verschure's Rosetta Stones Jun 27, 2024 Should We Be Planting More Trees? Jun 18, 2024 Earthquake precursors associated with the Turkey earthquakes Jun 13, 2024 Is it possible to transform an electric thunderstorm into an EMP storm? Jun 4, 2024 More from Earth Sciences --------------------------------------------------------------------- [INS::INS] * Related Stories [gif] Archaeologists in Louisiana save artifacts 12,000 years old from natural disasters and looters Jul 18, 2023 [gif] Evidence of ancient medieval feasting rituals uncovered in grounds of historic property Jan 4, 2024 [gif] Archaeologists excavate medieval timber hall at historic Skipsea site May 14, 2024 [gif] Ra-Pict prototyping bringing archaeology alive Nov 3, 2023 [gif] Why archaeologists usually rebury their excavations Jul 6, 2023 [gif] Ancient artifacts reveal the 'roots of Casas Grandes' Mar 8, 2023 * Recommended for you [gif] Aboriginal ritual passed down over 12,000 years, cave find shows 14 hours ago [gif] Layers of carbonate provide insight into the world of the ancient Romans Jul 1, 2024 [gif] After the Ice Age, people returned to the Swabian Jura 3,000 years earlier than previously thought Jul 1, 2024 [gif] The beginnings of fashion: Paleolithic eyed needles and the evolution of dress Jun 28, 2024 [gif] Occupational hazards for ancient Egyptian scribes Jun 27, 2024 [gif] First case of Down syndrome in Neanderthals documented in new study Jun 26, 2024 Load comments (0) Let us know if there is a problem with our content Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form. For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines). Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request [-- please select one -- ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Your message to the editors [ ] Your email (only if you want to be contacted back) [ ] Send Feedback Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors. Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages. E-mail the story Digital public archaeology: Excavating data from digs done decades ago and connecting with today's communities Your friend's email [ ] Your email [ ] [ ] I would like to subscribe to Science X Newsletter. Learn more Your name [ ] Note Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form. [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Your message [ ] Send Newsletter sign up Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties. [ ] Subscribe More information Privacy policy Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account. Remove ads Maybe later Medical Xpress Medical Xpress Medical research advances and health news Tech Xplore Tech Xplore The latest engineering, electronics and technology advances Science X Science X The most comprehensive sci-tech news coverage on the web Newsletters [ ] Subscribe Science X Daily and the Weekly Email Newsletter are free features that allow you to receive your favorite sci-tech news updates in your email inbox Follow us * * * * * Top * Home * Search * Mobile version * Help * FAQ * About * Contact * Science X Account * Premium Account * Archive * News wire * Android app * iOS app * RSS feeds * Push notification (c) Phys.org 2003 - 2024 powered by Science X Network Privacy policy Terms of use E-mail newsletter [ ] Subscribe Follow us * * * * It appears that you are currently using Ad Blocking software. What are the consequences? x Quantcast