A Survey on the Use of GIS and Data Standards in Archaeology

Abstract

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have been used in various archaeological projects. However, the archaeological data particularities (three-dimensionality, temporal dimension, imperfection) hamper the exhaustive application. A 3D or 4D (3D + time) GIS that is specifically tailored to archaeology may accordingly be beneficial. To develop such a system, a human-centred design, which considers the needs and viewpoints of the users in a four stage, iterative design cycle can be used. This paper focusses on the first two stages, the context of use description and the specification of the user requirements, by means of a user survey and so, does not address the proper design. The survey results clarify the widespread use of GIS in archaeology and the relatively high rate of expertise. Users require storing both raw and interpreted data, handling multiple temporal categories and imperfection. Furthermore, the use of data standards and metadata is limited and has to be encouraged.