A More Sustainable and Ethical Foundation for CAREfully FAIR Data in Archaeology

Summary

This is an abstract from the "*SE Big Data and Bigger Questions: Papers in Honor of David G. Anderson" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Archaeologists generate vast amounts of data in the form of databases, media files, spreadsheets, GIS files, reports, articles, and other literature. However, despite years of advocacy and data management investments, archaeological information is still poorly curated, scattered, incompatible, and haphazardly preserved. Despite these challenges, David Anderson led projects that demonstrated the value of aggregating and reusing such data at scale. The Paleoindian Database of the Americas (PIDBA) and the Digital Index of North American Archaeology (DINAA) yield important outcomes in scientific understanding and cultural heritage conservation. Anderson’s projects show how dedication can enable small teams and modest budgets to have big impacts. We need strategies to make these successes more routine, sustainable, and aligned to both the CARE and FAIR data principles. First, the widespread use of persistent identifiers will better maintain the provenance and contextual integrity of archaeological data. Second, new open-source software, especially the Arches Project (specifically designed to meet unique demands of the cultural heritage sector) can better sustain good practices while promoting autonomy, including data sovereignty for Tribal nations. These developments can support inclusive governance that protects and manages access controls to culturally sensitive data while selectively and strategically sharing information that advances shared goals.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• *SE Big Data and Bigger Questions: Papers in Honor of David G. Anderson   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39037.0