Abstract
The Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE) Directive (2007) requires public organisations across Europe to share environmentally-related spatial datasets to support decision making and management of the environment. Despite the environmental focus of INSPIRE, it offers limited guidance for archaeological datasets. Most primary data is created outside, but ultimately curated within, the public sector. As spatial evidence from fieldwork activities is not considered by the Directive, it overlooks a range of barriers to sharing data, such as project-based fieldwork, a lack of data standards, and formatting and licencing variations. This paper submits that these challenges are best addressed through the formalised management of primary research data through an archaeological Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI). SDIs deliver more efficient data management and release economic value by saving time and money. Better stewardship of archaeological data will also lead to more informed research and stewardship of the historic environment. ARIADNE already provides a digital infrastructure for research data, but the landscape and spatial component has been largely overlooked. However, rather than developing a separate solution, the full potential of spatial data from archaeological research can and should be realised through ARIADNE.
Highlights
Every year across Europe archaeologists create a wealth of primary data from fieldwork and research—irreplaceable records of the past
The Convention requires that signatory states maintain “an inventory of its archaeological heritage and the designation of protected monuments and areas” (Article 2i); that “for the purpose of facilitating the study of, and dissemination of knowledge about, archaeological discoveries, each Party undertakes . . . to make or bring up-to-date surveys, inventories and maps of archaeological sites in the areas within its jurisdiction” (Article 7i); and that the importance of public awareness is recognised in valuing and “understanding the past and the threats to this heritage” (Article 9)
Unlike INSPIRE, which promotes the sharing of data across the public sector, archaeological data is created through research, commercial archaeology and community projects
Summary
Every year across Europe archaeologists create a wealth of primary data from fieldwork and research—irreplaceable records of the past This information records the geographical location, extent, characteristics and relationships between data. Despite the need to keep pace with broader societal geospatial developments, there has been little coordinated engagement with the spatial value of archaeology within the discipline and no infrastructure to coordinate and share that data. These challenges are not unique to archaeology but are common to any discipline working with spatial data. The need for an archaeological, historical and heritage Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) has long been recognised [5,6], but little progress has been made to date
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