Heritage and Production of Archaeological Data The WritePass Journal

Heritage and Production of Archaeological Data WRITEPASS CUSTOM ESSAY WRITING EXAMPLE ESSAY Heritage and Production of Archaeological Data ; Gibbon, 2014; Jones, 2002). Case studies on heritage and production of archaeological data A case study that may be cited in this paper is the Lodenice project in central Bohemia in the early 1990s, which is also known for a Viereckschanze (rectangular enclosure) excavation. This project identified an Iron Age settlement and remnants of decorative arm rings dating from 2nd to first centuries BC. This project, which produced a Celtic carved rag stone head, used an analytical fieldwork survey and multivariate mathematical analysis, combined with geographical information system (GIS) (Hicks et al., 2007). This example demonstrates the extent to which the production of archaeological data aims to be as objective as possible, for the archaeologies may simply assume the nature of data collected, but lack of definite measurements and other objective applications would place the whole investigation into mere assumptions. Another case that may be cited is the Bylany Project in Norway (1990s). Grants were used to finance archaeological research, enabling the excavation of Neolithic circular enclosures of Bylanys complex. The integration of National Heritage Institute with rescue excavation administration has been a pending situation, which can negatively impact long-term archeological research in the Kutna Hora region. This archeological research is currently on systematic monitoring (Biehl and Prescott, 2013). The production of archaeological data informs of their use for future research and knowledge production as well as their objective and systematic production, reinforcing the idea that these data are always objective. Moreover in England, a data standard for the Sites and Monuments Records (SMRs) was established in the 1990s, facilitated by what is now known as the English Heritage’s National Monument Record. This data standard acknowledged the importance of records, including the activities of people involved in studying the resource, the sources of such information, and information on the process of managing the resource. This is to enable the successful management of the archaeological and historic environment within which archaeological data are derived (Barrett, Dingwall, Gaffney, et al., 2007). This manner of record-keeping for the production of archaeological data reveals the importance of objectivity. Worthy of discussion is the Tsodillo rock art in Botswana, which was the focus of intensive survey programme and recording by the Botswana National Museum during the late 20th century. The rock art holds the archaeological evidence that human settlement once existed in the landscape (Hicks et al., 2007). The recording and survey carried out by the Museum indicate the pursuit for objectivity in the investigation of the Tsodillo landscape. These case studies discuss what heritage demonstrates about the production of archaeological data being systematically acquired and processed, and thus entail the collaboration of specific government organisations in charge of heritage and archaeological data management. Thus, despite the perceived artistry of heritage, it is largely governed by some objectivity and system-specific characteristics in the production of archaeological data. Conclusion This critical analysis essay has discussed what heritage demonstrates about the production of archaeological data. It has focused on whether the production of archaeological data is always objective, illustrating the answer through cases studies. This brief claims that such production is indeed always objective, as reinforced by the extant literature denoting such objectivity and systematic stances. These data must necessarily be consistent in order for them to be of viable use in the future; hence, subjectivity has no room in their production. Moreover, archaeological data are material, enabling them to become inherently knowable and controllable and are thus definable, discoverable, recordable, manageable, and conservable. Case studies are provided, aiming to serve as evidence for the objectivity of the production of archaeological data. References Barrett, G., Dingwall, L., Gaffney, V., Fitch, S., Huckerby, C., and Maguire, T. 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