Archiving Digital Archaeological Data - Evaluation of a Survey in Germany

Abstract

Archiving of digital research data based on established standards and methods is an important part of the research data lifecycle. It guarantees the long-term transparency and reusability of research results. In the case of archaeological data, this is of particular importance for the preservation of unique and irreplaceable cultural heritage. To gain insight into the current state of affairs regarding long-term archiving in Germany, the SEADDA (Saving European Archaeology from the Digital Dark Age) COST Action (1) and the Commission on Archaeology and Information Systems in the Association of German State Archaeologists (2), with the support of the IANUS Research Data Center of the DAI (3), conducted a survey in spring/summer 2021. This article presents the results of the survey together with recommendations for further and supporting measures targeted at improving the long-term archiving of digital archaeological data in Germany.