Digital Archaeology, but at What Cost? Supporting Curators in Managing the Heritage Resource
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 28/12/2018

With the increasingly frequent use of digital technologies to record archaeological sites and historic structures there are a broad range of concerns which need to be addressed. One of the key factors is cost, but this may be interpreted in multiple ways. There are evidently considerations in terms of labour and financial cost in the use of digital technologies, but if the techniques are not properly understood, there are also potential costs for the archaeological record. The UK has a well-established system for overseeing archaeological works and industry standards which should be followed, however whilst standards exist for digital recording they are generally less well understood. A key aim of archaeology is preservation by record, and if quality standards for recording archaeology are to be maintained as we move increasingly to digital methods, curators must be able to confidently assess the suitability of methodologies and results. This paper will discuss what we may set as a baseline for the information curators should be aware of, and what methods practitioners can use to ensure that their work can be easily assessed. By helping curators in this way we can ensure that the industry continues to generate a high quality archaeological record and avoid negative impacts to our understanding of the heritage resource. 

Damien Campbell-Bell