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Chapter 5: Computers in Archaeology

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Like a total station, computers and various software programs are an invaluable part of archaeological projects. They are used for virtually everything from collecting and storing data to writing the final report for the archaeological survey or excavation. (1)

At Pech IV, we use a combination of commercially available software and software designed and developed by the Project Directors (Harold Dibble and Shannon McPherron) for the specific needs of our project. Some of the software that Dibble and McPherron have developed is used in data entry when we classify each stone artifact, for creating plan (horizontal) and profile (vertical) views of cultural materials in the site, for taking and storing digital photographs of the artifacts and creating backup files of these photos, for generating and checking barcode labels that are placed on each plastic bag for each point provenienced object (each one is given a specific identification number), and, of course, for recording and storing information about objects as their spatial coordinates are measured using a total station in the field (Read more about the Total Station).

The use of computers and software, like the use of a total station, is partly a method to help reduce the number of errors that arise when people have to hand-write information onto paper forms and then type this information into a computer database. More importantly, the use of computers allows for greater efficiency and rapid assessment of enormous amounts of information.


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