ArcheoFOSS 2022
EMdb: yet another db for the stratigraphic record

Panel: Archaeological stratigraphy data

The collection of stratigraphic data has been done for years with offline tools like the Microsoft Access software, which is considered an extremely user-friendly tool with the ability to print standardized forms (like the Italian ministerial US forms) directly and “without” any computer or data modeling expertise. It is well known to the scientific community the limitation inherent in this type of approach: the data is not shared online and is not easy to be collaboratively edited; the data is locked within a proprietary format with repercussions on medium- to long-term preservation; and the data is not immediately integrable with other projects because it lacks a precise reference standard. Despite these issues, this approach has remained viable in a whole range of situations where it is necessary to have a fast and easy-to-manage database. This contribution starts from the hypothesis that an off-line tool, provided it is standardized and encapsulated in an open format (such as SQLite, LibreOffice Base or MySQL) and editable with open software, can offer itself as an additional tool because of its ease of use and dissemination in the form of a free, downloadable template. EMdb aims to collect and manage not only stratigraphic data but also reconstructive unit sheets to cover the needs to analyze, interpret and validate scientific hypothesis in the field.

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