The Leuven Integrated Archaeological Information System goes spatial

During fieldwork, archaeologists typically destroy the evidence they are studying. When surveying sites and regions, artefacts and other evidence are collected from the surface, removing them forever. During archaeological excavations matters are even worse, as entire strata, find assemblages, ecofacts, and architectural features are routinely removed to access deeper layers and earlier phases of a site's history. There is nothing wrong with these archaeological practices, as long as all evidence is meticulously recorded, including its spatial dimensions and relations with the environment and existing features of the site. This application intends to provide the KU Leuven Archaeology Unit and all its associated fieldwork projects with shared, state-of-the-art spatial surveying equipment and associated digital appliances, to make sure all spatial recording procedures are digitally born and form part of integrated archaeological information systems.

Keywords:Archaeological fieldwork, Spatial recording, Digital-born workflows, Archaeometry, Environmental studies

Disciplines:Methods in archaeology, Cartography, Geospatial information systems, Surveying