Nicole Beale

How community archaeology can make use of open data to achieve further its objectives

Abstract This review paper begins with a discussion of the extent to which the expansion of the web has caused fundamental changes in the ways that communities are engaging with participatory events and of how technological developments are providing new platforms for communication. Accompanying these developments there have also been rapid changes in the make-up of communities, which in turn requires that we think differently about the nature of the community itself. This paper argues that the established methodological approaches of community archaeology must be reconsidered from the perspective of the web, so that we can better integrate online communication with current forms of community engagement. It focuses on the impact of open data on community archaeologys current methods for working with communities and concludes that the project-based approach to community archaeology and the traditional hierarchical structures of archaeological practice are no longer appropriate in the face of the open approaches to knowledge fostered by the web. The paper also discusses important issues that arise when integrating open data into community archaeology, including Open Data Commons licensing, the reuse of data and the re-contextualisation of legacy data.

The Social Web and Archaeology's Restructuring: Impact, Exploitation, Disciplinary Change

Abstract From blogs to crowdfunding, YouTube to LinkedIn, online photo-sharing sites to open-source community-based software projects, the social web has been a meaningful player in the development of archaeological practice for two decades now. Yet despite its myriad applications, it is still often appreciated as little more than a tool for communication, rather than a paradigm-shifting system that also shapes the questions we ask in our research, the nature and spread of our data, and the state of skill and expertise in the profession. We see this failure to critically engage with its dimensions as one of the most profound challenges confronting archaeology today. The social web is bound up in relations of power, control, freedom, labour and exploitation, with consequences that portend real instability for the cultural sector and for social welfare overall. Only a handful of archaeologists, however, are seriously debating these matters, which suggests the discipline is setting itself up to be swept away by our unreflective investment in the cognitive capitalist enterprise that marks much current web-based work. Here we review the state of play of the archaeological social web, and reflect on various conscientious activities aimed both at challenging practitioners’ current online interactions, and at otherwise situating the discipline as a more informed innovator with the social web’s possibilities.

4 Community-Driven Approaches to Open Source Archaeological Imaging

During the previous decade the use of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) imaging techniques in Archaeology has developed at great speed, from being virtually unknown to being a conventional part of the archaeological toolkit. Imaging techniques are frequently used for the documentation and analysis of archaeological material. This trend has been facilitated by the falling costs of devices and software which allow imaging data to be captured, processed and analysed. However, in spite of these rapid declines in cost, these tools remain inaccessible to large parts of the archaeological research community. Digital imaging techniques often remain costly in comparison to traditional forms of archaeological recording and analysis. The acquisition of hardware and software can represent an unrealistic level of investment for less well funded groups working within research, voluntary or commercial sectors. These nancial barriers are further compounded by limitations on expert knowledge required to capture and e ectively use these data within research methodologies. The advent of free and open source imaging software has the capacity to disrupt this pattern. Techniques such as Re ectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), photogrammetry, and multi-spectral imaging can now be undertaken with little or no investment in additional equipment (Downing et al., 2012; Jordan and Angelopoulou, 2010). However despite the availability of these tools there remain considerable barriers to uptake and consistent use. Methodologies are often written for audiences with a degree of expert knowledge which e ectively precludes use by those with little or no specialist knowledge of imaging. Even where this is not the case, as groups often remain unaware of imaging technologies or the potential impact which theymight have for their work. This paper will argue that the proliferation of open and inexpensive technology represents a unique opportunity to expand and to normalise the use of imaging techniques which have typically been seen as inaccessible and requiring expert knowledge. Furthermore it will argue that the use of open source software within archaeology can, if properly supported, lead to the development of toolswhichmore e ectively

Viking VR : Designing a Virtual Reality Experience for a Museum

Viking VR is a Virtual Reality exhibit through which viewers can experience the sights and sounds of a 9th Century Viking encampment. Created as part of a major museum exhibition, the experience was developed by an interdisciplinary team consisting of artists, archaeologists, curators and researchers. In this paper, approaches to the design of authentic, informative and compelling VR experiences for Cultural Heritage contexts are discussed. We also explore issues surrounding interaction design for the long-term deployment of VR experiences in museums and discuss the challenges of VR authoring workflows for interdisciplinary teams.