An open-access digital repository of archaeological and experimental ceramics: the TPW approach
Channel: Tracing the Potter's Wheel
Date: 2020-09-02

Full paper presented at the 2020 virtual meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists. 

Paper authors: J. Hilditch, L. Opgenhaffen, and C. Jeffra 

Abstract: 
As a multiyear project funded by the Dutch Research Council, the Tracing the Potter’s Wheel (TPW) project has a commitment to creating open-access publications and resources. A major output of the project is an archive which captures technologically-focused information about both archaeological and experimental ceramics. The structure of the archive includes multiple file types for images, video, and 3D models as well as contextual information, metadata and paradata. These two types of ceramic datasets therefore pose different challenges for the process of digital archiving as well as maintaining open access – such challenges include accommodating international heritage directives, adhering to publication permissions, appropriately funding the long-term storage of data, and anticipating which solutions are least likely to fall into obsolescence. 
This paper discusses the practical hurdles which have been faced and surmounted over the course of the TPW project. The presentation covers aspects of archiving which are specific to the problems overcome. We highlight in particular the need to move beyond a traditional ceramic catalogue to create a digital archive which provides learning pathways for users to gain more out of the dataset. The TPW archive is a dynamic learning tool which marries the stable storage of digital pottery information with a user-focused interface. Through this user-focused interface, the archive is a valuable research tool for both specialists and novices alike.

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