The Benefits of a Photograph and Image Cataloguing Database for Research and Archival Purposes, Illustrated by an Example from Canadian Archaeology

Abstract

The practice of using photography, whether in digital, slide, or print form, is a fundamental method of documenting and preserving finds and information in archaeology and most other museum-related disciplines. Images play an important role in the communication and preservation of information and can be regarded as archival collections in their own right. However, in many situations it is difficult to store and search efficiently through this vital resource. With the advent of desktop databases and interconnectivity, images can be readily organized into a searchable database. This approach becomes especially useful when dealing with the huge numbers of photographs accumulated through large projects. The EPIC database is a good example of the solution to this problem. EPIC was created to deal with images generated through one research centre of a large archaeological project (SCAPE: Study of Cultural Adaptations in the Canadian Prairie Ecozone). Built around off-the-shelf software, EPIC allows users to view a small thumbnail of an image with associated information, and has been designed to facilitate multiple search pathways. It also has the ability to link to related Museum databases. EPIC has proved beneficial not only to the SCAPE research community, but also to others who have used the information generated through the project.