University Of Arkansas Researcher Develops On-Line Archeology

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - No need to endure the elements, digging through sand and soil - a University of Arkansas researcher is ensuring that people can make archeological discoveries right on their home computers.

For the second consecutive year, the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) - an office of the National Park Service - has awarded a sizeable grant to UA archeologist Ken Kvamme and the University’s Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies.

This grant funds the continued development of a database that serves as the first repository in North America for archeological images and information gathered through the use of subsurface remote sensing technologies - geophysical methods that include magnetometry, electrical resistivity and ground-penetrating radar.

"Remote sensing technologies are more widely used in Europe than they are here, so a number of countries - Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Great Britain - already have websites and databases that feature these methods," said Kvamme. "It’s important that America develop a similar resource to inform people about these techniques."

Last year, the NCPTT granted Kvamme $33,904 for initial development of the website. At that time, the University of Arkansas contributed another $5,815. This year, Kvamme received $26,157 from the NCPTT with additional funds from the U of A totaling $5,284. Additional grants from the NCPTT may be awarded to fund the final stages of the project in 2001-02.

Called the North American Database and Website of Archeological Geophysics, Kvamme’s website contains more than a dozen components to serve the needs both of professional archeologists and of the general public.

These components include: a complete library of remote sensing images; a database of archeological projects using this technology; bibliographical information on abstracts, publications and technical reports; descriptions of remote sensing instrumentation with information on retail and cost; links to other archaeogeophysical websites; a database of practitioners and consultants; and a calendar of conferences, workshops and projects open to the public.

During this second year of construction, Kvamme plans to add approximately 300 new archeological projects to the database, review up to 300 citations on the use of remote sensing technologies and post at least 50 new pages of education materials.

Images and information feed into the database from a variety of researchers and sources. Kvamme intends the website to act as a venue where archeologists can advertise their projects and share their discoveries.

In addition, the site performs an educational function - providing information and materials for a broad audience from professional archeologists and college students to elementary school children.

"There are only a handful of archeologists using this technology in the United States," said Kvamme. "We want to make information about these techniques available to a wide audience so that we can educate them, capture their interest and possibly convince more people to use it."

Though groups such as the U.S. military, the FBI, the petroleum industry and marine scientists have been using remote sensing technologies for decades, these tools have been applied to North American archeology only recently. As researchers explore the potential of this technology, they find increasing advantages to applying it before excavation.

In Great Britain and northern Europe, remote sensing surveys often comprise the first stage of any archeological project. These surveys map specific features of the buried site, lower the cost of excavation and prevent damage to valuable artifacts and structures.

By mapping out a site beforehand, archeologists can plan their excavations to uncover features of interest with as little disturbance to the site as possible. In addition, these technologies can identify sites that might otherwise be endangered by engineering projects such as highways and dams.

"Throughout the country, archeological evidence is being destroyed because people don’t realize it’s there," said Kvamme. "It’s increasingly important that we have a tool to identify and protect these sites before they’re exposed by a road crew or submerged by a reservoir."

Kvamme believes that the University of Arkansas is uniquely equipped to begin that educational process not only because of his own expertise in remote sensing techniques but also because of the technological resources available through the UA Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies.

Over the past year, CAST has provided specialized expertise to support the website-database link. In addition, the center has supplied state-of-the-art software and equipment, capable of supporting hundreds of concurrent visitors to the website.

"When you host a national database, you have to expect numerous hits per day," Kvamme said. "You need fast machines to accommodate all those people and security capabilities to ensure the data cannot be tampered with. Through CAST, we’ve been equipped with both of those necessities."

In fact, despite the ongoing construction of the site, Kvamme has already begun to receive feedback from researchers and students who have taken advantage of the information posted. Archeologists have been using the site as a gateway to review other projects and to contact manufacturers of remote sensing instruments.

Additionally, students from across the nation have responded to the website, enthusiastic about the use of remote sensing technologies, said Kvamme. Learning about such methodologies helps young people understand the possibilities and potential in the field of archeology.

"I think that hosting the website at CAST will help draw students to the University of Arkansas," Kvamme added. "Especially as there are few other places in North America where they can receive this kind of training."

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VISIT the North American Database of Archeological Geophysics at http://www.cast.uark.edu/nadag. Its contents are solely the responsibility of its authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the National Park Service or the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training.