ARtefact: A Conceptual Framework for the Integrated Information Management of Archaeological Excavations

Abstract

AbstractThe information management of archaeological excavations (and the follow-up conservation and restoration of excavated objects) is complex, time consuming and laborious in practice. Currently available technological aids in the broader area of digital archaeology are limited in scope, while most are not interoperable. Herein, we propose ARtefact, a conceptual framework which encompasses an integrated technological toolset supporting the digital documentation, knowledge management and interactive presentation of digital resources produced throughout the archaeological excavation and the study/conservation of Artefacts. ARtefact accounts for several end-products: a mobile digital documentation application (executed on mobile devices with built-in depth sensors) which addresses the needs of all stakeholders involved in the documentation of the excavation process and its findings (mainly field archeologists and conservators); a web-based knowledge management tool which enables archaeologists to specify semantic relationships between digital resources; authoring tools used by curators and archaeologists without any technical expertise to create custom AR/VR applications which allow users to retrieve and interact with the ARtefact digital resources, thus enhancing the experience of -physical and virtual- visits in archaeological sites and museum exhibitions. A prototype implementation of ARtefact will be validated in pilot studies conducted in an active archeological excavation site and an archeological museum in Greece.KeywordsArchaeologyExcavationConservationArtefactDigital documentationMetadataKnowledge managementSemantic linkingMobile applicationAuthoring toolAugmented realityVirtual reality