Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ArchAIDE (Archaeological Automatic Interpretation and Documentation of cEramics)
Reporting period: 2017-06-01 to 2019-05-31
These objectives will be achieved through the development of:
- an as-automatic-as-possible procedure to transform the paper catalogues in a digital description, to be used as a data pool for search and retrieval process;
- a tool that will support archaeologists in recognising potsherds during excavation and post excavation analysis, through an easy-to-use interface and efficient algorithms for search and retrieval of the visual/geometrical correspondences;
- an automatic procedure to derive a complete potsherd’s identity card by transforming the data collected into a formatted electronic document, printable or visual;
- a web-based real-time data visualization to improve access to archaeological heritage and generate new understanding;
- an open archive to allow the archival and re-use of archaeological data, transforming them into common heritage and permitting economic sustainability.
As for the archaeological professional labour market, it is estimated that approximately 33,000 archaeologists now work across Europe, 11,350 in the USA, 6,255 in Japan, and between 500 and 600 in Australia. This information underlines the world-wide potential market of ArchAIDE. ArchAIDE will give to private companies the possibility to reduce time and costs, or to redistribute and optimize the activity of professionals, bringing positive effect on the whole sector.
As for archaeological research, ArchAIDE will move archaeologists from spending time on routine tasks like drawing and classification to create background knowledge and enable new knowledge generation, permitting to develop new research field in archaeology. ArchAIDE allows the creation of new archaeological data that will be made available both through the interactive app (supporting data access and visualization) and published as open data. In this way, ArchAIDE will help to broaden the horizons of archaeological research (new typological studies about archaeological pottery, trade flows and their economic impact, geographical diffusion, etc).
As for education and training, students complete their studies with training activities leaded by Universities or Archaeological companies. In such a context, ArchAIDE will become an extra training tool.
Besides, we have to consider also the millions of global citizens that approach archaeology in a non-professional manner and in all those related areas (educational, touristic, entrepreneurial, etc) that draw on open archaeological data to produce derivatives content such as storytelling, educational tools, etc. Supporting ordinary people will increase awareness and cultural interest in the population.