Digital Archaeology: Promises and Impasses

Archaeology has gone digital for some time now! Topics such as GIS databases, 3D models, drone photography, meta- and para-data, semantic mapping, text mining, simulation, and social network analysis have become commonplace in archaeological discourse and practice. Digital and technological advancements seemingly offer limitless promises for data recording, analysis and dissemination. Yet, after several decades of innovation, we must ask ourselves which of these promises are actually fulfilled, and which persistent impasses are present. Today, some reflexive questions are more important than ever. In particular, when, how and why do our innovative archaeology tools fail? Do we approach our archaeological projects with a digital wand and (implicitly or explicitly) expect a magical solution? And when there is indeed a digital solution, at what expense does it come? In this volume, scholars and practitioners in the field discuss the state of the art, as well as the promises and impasses that digital approaches to archaeology entail. The authors discuss the current state of teaching digital archaeology, the societal impact of digital innovations, current issues in archaeological data management, promises and limitations of isotopic research and remote sensing techniques, and why subfields such as agent-based modelling and serious gaming struggle to keep momentum. Contents Introduction: Leiden Perspectives on Digital Archaeology Karsten Lambers Metaphors, Myths, and Transformations in Digital Archaeology Tuna Kalayc¿ and Piraye Hac¿güzeller Data Exchange Protocol in Dutch Archaeology Milco Wansleeben, Walter Laan and Ronald Visser Digital Data Integration in Mediterranean Field Survey Archaeology: Status Quo and Future Perspectives Tymon de Haas and Martijn van Leusen Isotopes, Isoscapes, and the Search for Geographic Origins: Unrealized Potential or Unrealistic Expectations? Jason E. Laffoon and Till F. Sonnemann From the Jungle to the Lab: Using Remote-Sensing and Deep Learning to Map Archaeological Features in Lab-based Settings Sarah Klassen, Tommaso Pappagallo and Damian Evans Bibliometric Analysis of Agent-Based Simulation in Archaeology: People, Topics, and Future Prospects Iza Romanowska and Fulco Scherjon Critical Miss? Archaeogaming as a Playful Tool for Archaeological Research and Outreach Aris Politopoulos and Angus Mol Reflections Rachel Opitz

Tuna Kalaycı is an assistant professor of computational archaeology. His main quantitative interests are remote sensing, data analysis, and modelling. He also tackles questions of landscape archaeology and (ancient) cities. In particular, he focuses on productive landscapes, landscapes of movement, walking/walkability and neighbourhoods. His work also aims to positively challenge modern concepts, such as digitalisation, machine automation and smart cities. He is affiliated with the SAILS Initiative. He is a member of the Kerkenes Project, working on Iron Age urban dynamics.

Tuna holds degrees in Statistics (BSc), Settlement Archaeology (MSc), and Anthropology (PhD). His dissertation work at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, focused on the stability of urban systems during environmental crises. Next, he held a post-doctoral researcher position at the IMS-FORTH (Greece), specialising in remote sensing approaches to archaeology. Before joining Leiden University, he was a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellow at the ISPC-CNR (Italy) and Durham University (UK). His "Modern Geospatial Technologies for Ancient Movement Praxis" project produced computational tools to understand Bronze Age traffic in Upper Mesopotamia.

Karsten Lambers is an associate professor and head of the Digital Archaeology research group at the Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University. His research considers computational methods (e.g., Machine Learning) that enable the (semi-) automated extraction of meaningful archaeological entities from large bodies of digital data from different sources as a starting point for archaeological analysis and heritage management. Examples include the detection of burial mounds in LiDAR data and the detection of archaeological concepts in excavation reports. He also conducts multi-proxy analysis of human-environmental interaction with a focus on settlement patterns and resource use.

Karsten holds degrees in American Anthropology (MA, University of Bonn, 1998) and Prehistoric Archaeology (PhD, University of Zurich, 2005). His award-winning PhD research investigated the famed Nasca geoglyphs in southern Peru using a combination of field survey, remote sensing, 3D modelling and GIS-based spatial analysis. Before joining Leiden University, he held research and teaching positions at ETH Zurich, University of Zurich, the German Archaeological Institute, and the universities of Konstanz and Bamberg. At Leiden University he is affiliated with the SAILS initiative and directs research projects in computational archaeology and field projects in the Netherlands and in Switzerland.

Victor Klinkenberg Received His Phd In Near Eastern Archaeology At Leiden University In 2017. His Research Interests Include Digital Archaeology, Spatial Analysis, And Household Archaeology. Currently A Post-Doc At Leiden University, He Works As Project Manager In The 'Setinstone' Project And As Field Director At The Excavations Of A Chalcolithic Settlement At Palloures, Cyprus.

Key Publications: Düring, B.s., V. Klinkenberg, C. Paraskeva & E. Souter (2018) Metal Artefacts In Chalcolithic Cyprus: New Data From Western Cyprus. Mediterranean Archaeology And Archaeometry 18; Klinkenberg V. (2016) Reading Rubbish: Using Object Assemblages To Reconstruct Activities, Modes Of Deposition And Abandonment At The Late Bronze Age Dunnu Of Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria. Leiden: Nederlands Instituut Voor Het Nabije Oosten. Pihans Volume 129; Klinkenberg, V. (2015) Are We There Yet?! 3d Gis In Archaeological Research, The Case Of Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria. In: Kamermans, H., De Neef, W., Piccoli, C., Posluschny, A.g. And Scopigno, R. (Eds.): The Three Dimensions Of Archaeology. Proceedings Of The Xvii World Congress Of Uispp. Archaeopress, Oxford.