Approaches to Openness: Digital Archaeology Data in Virginia and Public Engagement

Author(s): Jolene Smith

Year: 2016

Summary

Virginia’s archaeological site inventory contains detailed information on nearly 43,000 sites in datasets maintained by the Department of Historic Resources (State Historic Preservation Office). At times, responsibility to protect sensitive sites from looting and vandalism seems to run counter to providing information to the public about Virginia’s archaeology. But the two are not mutually exclusive. This paper will explore Virginia’s historical approach to archaeological data dissemination with regards to both risks and benefits. This paper will also outline future initiatives to maximize site data availability for different types of users. By leveraging archaeological site information to create a sense of stewardship among local governments, development interests, and the general public, we may be able to protect Virginia’s buried heritage more effectively than ever before.

Cite this Record

Approaches to Openness: Digital Archaeology Data in Virginia and Public Engagement. Jolene Smith. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Washington, D.C. 2016 ( tDAR id: 434418)

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Keywords

General
Access Archives data

Spatial Coverage

min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 645