The Cyber-Unit

[kevin wooldridge]

In reply to Dmama - woah!! I wasn't suggesting that we dont collect or archive finds, I was suggesting that all finds have a digital reference copy made. This might be through a variety of means, photos, scans, laser scanning etc. The point is that it would make artefacts accessible through digital means to distant researchers who wouldn't necessarily have to be in physical contact with the object to pursue their research.

I'm also not dissing specialist knowledge. All I am suggesting is that specialist knowledge is shared more evenly and efficiently across an organisation. Of course I want the best osteologist in the world and/or the best Roman ceramic specialist, but I am also aware (I've been an archaeologist for over 30 years) that when that kind of specialist work runs out or runs down, these are often the first people whose postiion is threatened with redundancy, because beyond their specialism they are seen of as little value to an organisation. I agree there will always be people who are more gifted in one area of work than another, that doesn't however mean that they can't share in the management of the cyber unit at all levels of the unit's work, call it 'adding another string to their bow' rather than devaluing their specialism. Plus of course having staff with multiple skills allows for efficiences through flexibility when short-term 'gluts' of certain kinds of work occur. Personally I think its as good experience to know which areas of our stiudy you are weak at, as it is to know in which areas you excel.

With any kind of media one has to be aware of changes in format....I am sure that many units and archives have black and white negatives and slide collections which we were once told were the bottom line in archive standards, but are just about impossible to reproduce at economic rates these days, despite the fact that many archives still insist upon such formats as minimum stamdard. In our cyber unit one of the shared responsibilities would be maintenance of the archive to accessible standards.

Lazy archaeology? I am guessing that is some kind of throwaway remark!! Precisely the opposite. My intention in a cyber unit would be harness the efficiences of digital data capture to enable the researchers to divert resources that are currently spent 'double shovelling' paper and creating digital records from analogue notation and using those resources for anaylsis of the data and archaeological synthesis i.e more research, more results. In fact I would say that is the complete opposite of 'lazy archaeology' as it virtually guarantees a 'result' from every field or research intervention. And that would be a result that is totally accessible through digital media...

Do I expect digs to be done my Geomatics? Well its already happening in lots of places. Look at the use of systems such as PenMap and Intrasis, look at the increased use of geophysics and laser scanning and LIDAR.....Look at the number of units who measure and locate features by using a total station rather than planning these days. Look at the number of curators who are insisiting upon digitally accesible site maps and plans .... my cyber unit would just build upon methods already in use.

....and finally, as Troll made clear, this is a hypothetical game,.....but nothing I have suggested isn't already in use in some form or another somewhere in the world and quite a lot of it in the UK. So maybe join in and think how an innovative cyber unit might benefit your own work....