Googling the Grey: Open Data, Web Services, and Semantics

Eric C. Kansa, Sarah Whitcher Kansa, Margie M. Burton, Cindy Stankowski
2010 Archaeologies: the journal of the World Archaeological Congress  
________________________________________________________________ Primary data, though an essential resource for supporting authoritative archaeological narratives, rarely enters the public record. Lack of primary data publication is also a major obstacle to cultural heritage preservation and the goals of cultural resource management (CRM). Moreover, access to primary data is key to contesting claims about the past and to the formulation of credible alternative interpretations. In response to
more » ... se concerns, experimental systems have implemented a variety of strategies to support online publication of primary data. Online data dissemination can be a powerful tool to meet the needs of CRM professionals, establish better communication and collaborative ties with colleagues in academic settings, and encourage public engagement with the documented record of the past. This paper introduces the ArchaeoML standard and its implementation in the Open Context system. As will be discussed, the integration and online dissemination of primary data offer great opportunities for making archaeological knowledge creation more participatory and transparent. However, different strategies in this area involve important trade-offs, and all face complex conceptual, ethical, legal, and professional challenges. ________________________________________________________________ RESEARCH Since Open Context is operated in the United States, the European Union's database protection laws are less applicable. Similar systems in the European Union would need appropriate policies to insure the legal reusability of database content.
doi:10.1007/s11759-010-9146-4 fatcat:7kyjvmdysvai7hzif2tswe7qsi