Day of Data 2021: Rescuing from the Past, Saving for the Future: An Archaeological Science Perspective on Collaborative Data

Rescuing from the Past, Saving for the Future: An Archaeological Science Perspective on Collaborative Data, Annapaola Passerini, Rebecca Gerdes, Alice Wolff, Anna Whittemore, Sam Disotell, Jillian Goldfarb

Wednesday, Jan. 27, 3:30 pm, Track 2

Archaeology reconstructs the human past through the interpretation of its material remains. The last few decades have witnessed a boost in the application of STEM techniques to the study of the archaeological record, allowing for the investigation of a variety of materials (e.g. stone, metal, ceramics, organic residues, soil, plant and animal remains) at both the micro and macro level. However, as this subfield of archaeology progressively acquires distinct academic authority under the name of “Archaeological Science”, so do numerous challenges stem from its interdisciplinary nature straddling the worlds of humanities and natural sciences. The production of “Archaeological Science Data” brings necessary attention to issues of research design and sampling strategies, especially given the mismatch between the reproducibility of laboratory techniques to acquire scientific data on materials, and the non-reproducibility and, sometimes, less than ideal representativity of samples collected from the archaeological field. The correct interpretation of such data, therefore, requires a robust understanding of both the social, cultural, and environmental characteristics of the archaeological context of sampling, and the implicit limitations and affordance of the specific STEM technique used in the lab. The renewed interest in legacy data due to the conditions created by COVID-19 have spurred archaeologists to reflect on the limitations of interdisciplinary collaboration and the need to create datasets that could, at once, make sense in the present and be understandable in the future. This panel seeks to expose critical aspects of the production of collaborative data within the discipline of Archaeological Science. Salient points will include the role of research questions in shaping data, standardization, interdisciplinary communication, and storage sustainability. Case studies will be drawn from several specializations, including residue analysis, archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, bioarchaeology, and radiocarbon dating. Ultimately, this panel wishes to inspire more responsible and informed approaches to collaboration within archaeology and beyond. Speakers: Annapaola Passerini, Rebecca Gerdes, Alice Wolff, Anna Whittemore, Sam Disotell and Jillian Goldfarb

OSF Meeting site where slides are posted: https://osf.io/meetings/CDOD21/