Practice and Research of Digital Archaeology

LIU Jianguo

1. China University of Geosciences, Beijing,

2. Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, 100710

Abstract

    Digital archaeology is the integrative application of SPS (Satellite Positioning System), Total Station, RS (Remote Sensing), GIS (Geographic Information System), VR (Virtual Reality), Database and Internet/Intranet in archaeology, the important method for employing all the archaeological information sufficiently, and also the requirement of information era for archaeological research.

    In digital archaeology, SPS and total station could been utilized for surveying and mapping all phenomenon accurately in archaeological site, remote sensing could been used for prospecting remains underground and analyzing the relationship between different ancient features, GIS could been applied for managing all the data about sites and regions, and doing many queries and spatial analysis in archaeological research, GIS data also could been created virtual ancient cities, virtual archaeology sites, virtual museum and virtual process of excavation for public. All the data should been stored in different database, cultural resource managers, archaeological researchers and public could visit the different information in the database by definite authority on Internet or Intranet.

Digital archaeology collect all the information, e. g. topography, plan, imagery, text, audio, video from archaeological survey, excavation and research, employ the method of CD store, electronic publish, computer communication, will been used widely in cultural resource management and archaeological research. Digital archaeology will make a standard for collecting and applying archaeological data, impel the development of archaeological research in new era.

 

Key Words: Digital archaeology  Remote Sensing  Geographic Information System