Archaeology Data Primer

Abstract

Archaeology is the study of the human past through the analysis of material remains. Preservation of material remains is crucial to the understanding and sharing of different cultures. As many aspects of archaeological methodology destroy the very record they are analyzing, documentation is critical to this field (Richards et al, 2021). Consequently, the analysis and context recorded through these archaeological investigations and the data from artifacts is key.

In regards to digital curation, it is important to understand that archaeological data are as varied as the cultures and material that are studied. Thus, this primer will not cover the entire scope of the field of archaeology, but hopes to serve as a starting point for curators and data managers to understand what data is produced and how they can be prepared for reuse.