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What open data means for Arts and Humanities

Dr Tim Evans

12/09/2022

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Introducing the ADS

  • Accredited digital archive for UK heritage data
  • Founded in 1996
  • Based at the University of York
  • Predominantly England (work with national agencies)
  • Data from Industry and Higher Education.
  • Archive over 3.5 million unique digital objects
  • …In 312 unique formats
  • For more information see our Annual Reports

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Rationale

Archaeology generates a lot of data!

Excavation is inherently destructive.

Historic notions of ‘Preservation by Record’ feed into moral and legal obligation to ensure data is preserved and accessible.

Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology Service (2011) Wellington Quarry.https://doi.org/10.5284/1000392

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Open since 1996

No preservation without re-use.

Reduce barriers to access.

Use digital to overcome traditional problems…

Museum of London Archaeology (2019) The Prittlewell princely burial: excavations at Priory Crescent, Southend-on-Sea, Essex 2003.https://doi.org/10.5284/1050095

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It is not possible to publish everything we record in the traditional manner.

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Publication ‘Issues’

E.g. Evans https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.40.6

Time and money!

Not enough space.

Modern publications geared for synthesis and understanding.

The scholar, Periander in his library with printed text. Reproduction after a woodcut, 1488-89.Wellcome Collection.Public Domain Mark

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Traditional data

Datasets for specialist reuse - databases, spreadsheets.

Used to support a publication, and now commonplace as a form of digital appendix (e.g. measurements).

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Fiona Brock, Thomas Higham (2018) Denisova 11 Human Bone Fragment [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1047219

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Grey literature

“Grey literature is any information that is not produced by commercial publishers”.

Archaeologists: everything not in a conventional publication…

.. which in archaeology is most projects!

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Wells, T. (2021). Excavations at Galloper Offshore Wind Farm (Onshore Works) Archive Research Report. Wessex Archaeology. https://doi.org/10.5284/1090262.

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Grey literature

Traditionally this is reports written as part of a mitigation e.g. planning control.

Interim reports.

Lab reports.

Specialist reports e.g. conservation.

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Richards, J. D. (2018). Torksey Excavation 2016. Report on an excavation near Torksey, Lincolnshire 7-14 November 2016. York: University of York. https://doi.org/10.5284/1097742.

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Advantages of grey literature

  • Relatively quick ‘release’ time = immediate results.
  • Can amass a lot of data quickly e.g. ADS hold 74,000+ reports
  • Reflective of the scale of work going on. Small results are important too!
  • A good corpus for digital research e.g. machine learning, text mining, or semantic annotation.

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Grey data

Case study of Star Carr:

Photogrammetry models: allow users to navigate through the site.

Video: allows users to understand what the archaeologists were doing and thinking.

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University of York (2018) Star Carr and Lake Flixton archives [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1041580

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Publication + Data

e.g. Milner, N., Conneller, C. and Taylor, B. 2018. Star Carr Volume 1: A Persistent Place in a Changing World. York: White Rose University Press https://doi.org/10.22599/book1

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University of York (2018) Star Carr and Lake Flixton archives [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1041580

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Framework Archaeology (2009) The Stansted Framework Project [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1000029

Museum of London Archaeology (2019) Stepney Green (Crossrail XRV10) [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1055116

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Thankyou!

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tim.evans@york.ac.uk

Archaeology Data Service

Department of Archaeology

University of York

The King’s Manor

Exhibition Square

York, YO1 7EP

help@archaeologydataservice.ac.uk

www.archaeologydataservice.ac.uk