scholarly journals Stewardship of Digital Archaeological Data in Greece: a landscape of fragmentation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Despoina Tsiafaki ◽  
Markos Katsianis

This article provides an overview of the current situation in Greece regarding digital archaeological data stewardship. A brief chronicle of Greek archaeology sets the scene for a better understanding of the present situation. Greek archaeology is supervised by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, with the Archaeological Service as the central organisation in charge of antiquities. However, archaeological data resulting from archaeological fieldwork are produced by several other entities. This article presents the policies governing both physical and digital documentation archives. It introduces the current practices for archaeological data preservation and the relevant digital infrastructures, attempting to showcase the existing environment. We categorise prevailing problems on three levels, all based on the fact that digital and open access arrived recently in a well-established environment formed gradually over almost two centuries. Even so, fragmentation and variation would be the proper terms to describe the status of the stewardship of digital archaeological data in Greece. Our review shows that there is substantial effort directed towards digital archaeological data stewardship and accessibility by all stakeholders within the archaeological sector. Finally, we add a few thoughts and suggestions, and indicate the need to generate a network that could take steps towards more inclusive strategies within digital data stewardship. The key to leveraging change is raising awareness about data sustainability and reuse, and the COVID-19 outbreak indicates a clear change in mentality in this direction, since open access resources have begun to be key to education and research conducted in Greece.

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Whitcher Kansa ◽  
Eric C. Kansa

ABSTRACTThis special section stems from discussions that took place in a forum at the Society for American Archaeology's annual conference in 2017. The forum, Beyond Data Management: A Conversation about “Digital Data Realities”, addressed challenges in fostering greater reuse of the digital archaeological data now curated in repositories. Forum discussants considered digital archaeology beyond the status quo of “data management” to better situate the sharing and reuse of data in archaeological practice. The five papers for this special section address key themes that emerged from these discussions, including: challenges in broadening data literacy by making instructional uses of data; strategies to make data more visible, better cited, and more integral to peer-review processes; and pathways to create higher-quality data better suited for reuse. These papers highlight how research data management needs to move beyond mere “check-box” compliance for granting requirements. The problems and proposed solutions articulated by these papers help communicate good practices that can jumpstart a virtuous cycle of better data creation leading to higher impact reuses of data.


2021 ◽  
pp. 026666692110154
Author(s):  
Usman Ahmed Adam ◽  
Kiran Kaur

Institutional repositories are powerful tools to facilitate global access to intellectual output by members of the institution, particularly in assisting them to preserve and maximize access to their research output globally. This exploratory study of the status of institutional repositories implementation in African countries using the global Directory of Open Access Repositories (OpenDOAR) and Transparent Ranking: All Repositories by Google Scholar, reports on the operational status and the performance of repositories. Factor analysis and cluster analysis are used to analyze the operational level of institutional repositories in African countries. The analysis showed that the typical performance of institutional repositories remains below average. The possibility of global open access to research results through institutional repositories in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Algeria, Sudan, and Egypt appeared to be relatively more feasible than other African countries. This study concludes that many organizations, institutions, and societies spend great efforts in support of open access implementation in Africa, however, the widespread implementation of institutional repositories is still very slow paced, and the performance of the implemented repositories was below expectation. Suggestions for regaining the intended direction of African institutional repositories are given based on the current status.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Jarret ◽  
◽  
Noelle L. Anglin ◽  
David Ellis ◽  
Arthur Villordon ◽  
...  

The sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) is the sixth most important food crop on a global scale. While China accounts for about 80% of global production, Nigeria, Uganda, Indonesia and Tanzania are also large producers of sweetpotato. The chapter examines the origin and dispersal of sweetpotato, including archaeological data for the early distribution of the crop, before moving on to considering its general botany. The chapter considers in vitro germplasm storage in sweetpotato genebanks, as well as issues of quality control. The chapter looks at the importance of managing sweetpotato crop wild relatives (CWR) and examines plant quarantine and phytosanitary issues and the status of genebanks under international treaties. The chapter considers a number of specific issues associated with sweetpotato germplasm. Finally, the chapter looks at the application of next-generation sequencing to sweetpotato and its CWR, before looking ahead to future trends in this area.


First Monday ◽  
2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa H. Cantrell ◽  
Lauren B. Collister

In this paper we argue that the framing of open access through language adopted by a variety of stakeholders serves to inhibit the uptake of open access publishing through the mechanisms of complexity and cognitive load. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, we analyze both the language and tiers of decisions that confront authors seeking information online about open access. We conclude that this information is for the most part prohibitively complex and introduces contradictory interpretations and executions of open access that act to motivate a phenomenon known as the status quo bias. The only reliable method of counteracting this status quo bias in order to bolster the uptake of open access is to re-frame the language that is commonly employed in association with open access and to minimize the tiers of decisions expected of authors, which create a barrier rather than a gateway to open access engagement.


Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Ochi ◽  
Toshihiko Ota ◽  
Ataru Yamaoka ◽  
Hiromasa Watanabe ◽  
Yohei Kondo ◽  
...  

Information ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy Huggett

The availability and accessibility of digital data are increasingly significant in the creation of archaeological knowledge with, for example, multiple datasets being brought together to perform extensive analyses that would not otherwise be possible. However, this makes capturing the silences in those data—what is absent as well as present, what is unknown as well as what is known—a critical challenge for archaeology in terms of the suitability and appropriateness of data for subsequent reuse. This paper reverses the usual focus on knowledge and considers the role of ignorance—the lack of knowledge, or nonknowledge—in archaeological data and knowledge creation. Examining aspects of archaeological practice in the light of different dimensions of ignorance, it proposes ways in which the silences, the range of unknowns, can be addressed within a digital environment and the benefits which may accrue.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T J Buser ◽  
O F Boyd ◽  
Á Cortés ◽  
C M Donatelli ◽  
M A Kolmann ◽  
...  

Synopsis The decreasing cost of acquiring computed tomographic (CT) data has fueled a global effort to digitize the anatomy of museum specimens. This effort has produced a wealth of open access digital three-dimensional (3D) models of anatomy available to anyone with access to the Internet. The potential applications of these data are broad, ranging from 3D printing for purely educational purposes to the development of highly advanced biomechanical models of anatomical structures. However, while virtually anyone can access these digital data, relatively few have the training to easily derive a desirable product (e.g., a 3D visualization of an anatomical structure) from them. Here, we present a workflow based on free, open source, cross-platform software for processing CT data. We provide step-by-step instructions that start with acquiring CT data from a new reconstruction or an open access repository, and progress through visualizing, measuring, landmarking, and constructing digital 3D models of anatomical structures. We also include instructions for digital dissection, data reduction, and exporting data for use in downstream applications such as 3D printing. Finally, we provide Supplementary Videos and workflows that demonstrate how the workflow facilitates five specific applications: measuring functional traits associated with feeding, digitally isolating anatomical structures, isolating regions of interest using semi-automated segmentation, collecting data with simple visual tools, and reducing file size and converting file type of a 3D model.


2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Mickaelian

AbstractWe review the status of all-sky and large astronomical surveys and their catalogued data over the whole range of electromagnetic spectrum, from gamma-ray to radio, such as ROSAT in X-ray, GALEX in UV, SDSS and several POSS1/2 based catalogs (APM, MAPS, USNO, GSC) in optical, 2MASS and WISE in NIR, IRAS and AKARI in MIR/FIR, NVSS and FIRST in radio range and others. Present astronomical archives contain billions of objects, Galactic as well as extragalactic, and the vast amount of data in them permit new studies and discoveries. Cross-correlations result in revealing new objects and new samples. Very often, dozens of thousands of sources hide a few very interesting ones that are needed to be discovered by comparison of various physical characteristics. Most of the modern databases currently provide VO access to the stored information. This permits not only open access but also fast analysis and managing of these data.


Hydrobiologia ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 761 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Falk Huettmann ◽  
Moritz Sebastian Schmid ◽  
Grant Richard Woodrow Humphries
Keyword(s):  
Ross Sea ◽  

1988 ◽  
Vol 41 (02) ◽  
pp. 261-275
Author(s):  
A. M. Whitehead ◽  
W. P. Thomas ◽  
M. P. Wilkins

Electro-optic sensors – forward-looking infra-red and night vision goggles – are today providing a dramatic enhancement of low-level operational capability, but causing increased demands for precision navigation, situation awareness and advanced displays. Digital map displays, also available today, offer the flexibility of map presentation that is needed. In the future, terrain-referenced systems incorporating digital data bases hold the promise of the integrated flying aid and mission displays that are required for ‘all-weather’ operations. This paper describes first the fit and usage of the EO systems likely in a future combat aircraft and goes on to review the status of data-base systems. It establishes the baseline against which digital map systems and later terrain-referenced displays that exploit an elevation data base might be integrated into the aircraft.


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