Computer Applications for Archaeology

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

The unit is based on theoretic expository lectures using dynamic audiovisual resources, having a strong practical component, through the handling of software under tutorial supervision, with the purpose of performing exercises that deal with specific problems of archaeological activity.

Considering the duration of the unit and the wide variety of existing software tools, we selected the most affordable and essential programs to a good professional practice

Learning Outcomes

The course aims to introduce students to basic concepts of Computational Archaeology and to handle some essential informatics programs for archaeological investigation, including databases, programs for image processing and computer aided design, 3D softwares and as well the geographic information systems.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. The computer technology available for Archaeology. The advantages, problems and limitations. Archaeology before Informatics.

2. Creating management databases systems in Archaeology. Definition and characterization. Analysis of examples. Building a database and practice in digital registration and data management.

3. Computerised graphic representation of the archaeological record. Description of the tools available for graphical processing and improvement. Practice software for image conception, edition and processing. Archaeology, Topography and georeference. Practice of computer aided design software.

4. 3D technology: overview of the concept and beginner practice of software.

5. Geographic Information Systems applied to Archaeology. Definition and elementary procedure concepts. The historical evolution of GIS and of its use in archeology. Notions of spatial data management and archaeological cartography

Head Lecturer(s)

Marcos Daniel Osório da Silva

Assessment Methods

Assessment continues
Resolution Problems: 50.0%
Frequency: 50.0%

Bibliography

Wheatley D.; Gillings, M. 2002. Spatial Technology and Archaeology, Taylor & Francis: London.

Harris, Trevor, 2002, GIS in Archaeology, in Knowles, AK (editor), Past time, past place: GIS for History, Redlands Clifornia, ESRI Press, 2002, pp. 131-143

Internet Archaeology, The first fully refereed e-journal for archaeology, ISSN 1363-5387. | URL: http://intarch.ac.uk

Stanford University: Libraries & Academic Information Resources, GIS and Archaeology, http://wwwsul.stanford.edu/depts/gis/Archaeology.htm

DMOZ, Open Directory Project, Archaeological Computing, http://dmoz.org/Science/Social_Sciences/Archaeology/Topics/Archaeological_Computing/

Internet and Open Source in Archaeology: http://www.iosa.it/

Integrating the humanities and geospatial science: exploring cultural resources and sacred space through Internet GIS, Trevor Harris, Ph.D., Dr. Briane Turley, Ph.D., and L. Jesse Rouse, West Virginia University, http://ark.geo.wvu.edu/grave_creek/