01-06-2007, 11:51 AM
(This is from the Rome-arch list)
. GIS inventory of Mediterranean surveys now online
Posted by: "Pedar Foss" [email protected]
Date: Fri Jan 5, 2007 3:48 pm ((PST))
5 January 2007
Mediterranean Archaeology GIS now on-line (MAGIS 1.0)
The Collaboratory for GIS and Mediterranean Archaeology (CGMA) is
pleased to announce the release of its on-line, browser-based GIS
inventory of regional archaeological surveys in the greater
Mediterranean area. Viewable by spatial (interactive map) search or
database query, this resource intends to serve as an essential
reference for information about completed and ongoing regional
archaeological surveys. Hundreds of surveys have been undertaken
since the development of this technique over four decades ago.
However, MAGIS is the first attempt to catalog their metadata, such
as: project name, researchers, methodologies, geographic coordinates,
chronological coverage, special studies (e.g., lithics or epigraphy),
bibliography, and the environmental characteristics of the study
areas. MAGIS will be a valuable tool for archaeologists, ancient
historians, anthropologists and sociologists interested in comparing
long-term historical trends and research techniques over broad areas
of the ancient Mediterranean. It also has ancillary uses as a basic
mapping resource for the Mediterranean world; the CGMA team will add
further useful layers (e.g., ancient cities, Roman provinces) to the
GIS in future releases. Also, many projects provide links to
satellite imagery of the survey areas via Flash Earth. The map
topography is currently at 1 km. resolution, but in the next release
we plan to be able to use 90 m. data.
MAGIS is located here:
http://cgma.depauw.edu/MAGIS/
MAGIS is a component of the CGMA project ( http://cgma.depauw.edu/ ), a
joint teaching and research initiative of DePauw University, Millsaps
College, Rhodes College, and the College of Wooster, funded by the
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and now sponsored by NITLE (http://
www.nitle.org/ ). The Principal Investigators are:
P. Foss and R. Schindler (DePauw). The Co-PIs are: M. Galaty
(Millsaps), K. Morrell (Rhodes), and P. Nick Kardulias (Wooster). Our
programmer is M. Beth Wilkerson of the GIS Center at DePauw University.
Most of the metadata for the survey projects has been entered by our
undergraduate students. Currently there are 272 entries. We know that
there are errors and gaps, in part because we have not been able to
access all relevant publications; in part because some information
(particularly the bounding coordinates of a survey), are not always
specified in a publication; in part because we have not yet
investigated all the relevant countries. Some are just our fault. We
will work to fix them, and we welcome comments and suggestions.
We have also not included any surveys from the British Isles, because
of the sheer volume of material, and because many projects there are
listed by the Archaeology Data Service ( http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/ ). We
may do so in the future.
We would like to ask the scholars responsible for their survey
projects to check and correct (or enter) the information about their
project(s). An extensive on-line help file explains how to navigate
and use the site, as well as exactly what we mean by our metadata
categories (for example, how we characterize various survey
methodologies or environmental variables).
A large, detailed and up-to-date database will help all of us
involved in Mediterranean survey. How can you help?
(1) Researchers may send in corrections or additions for a project
already in the database to: [email protected]
(2) Those wishing to enter metadata for a project not yet listed can
register to do so through the Data Entry page at: http://
cgma.depauw.edu/MAGIS/DB_Admin/db_submit/register.php
Metadata entered in this way will be stored in a holding database
until vetted and released to the online database by CGMA personnel.
This is primarily a way to protect the core database.
(3) Comment on any aspect of the resource that you think could be
improved: [email protected]
• Remember: MAGIS does not include any project _data_; only project
_metadata_ (information about a project, its area, its aims, and its
studies). It does not constitute 'publication' of a project in any way.
• If you are interested in adaptation or development of the open-
source code we have used to build CGMA, please let us know at
[email protected] .
• This spring, P. Foss of DePauw University will be available to
demonstrate the system to colleagues at universities and governmental
agencies across Europe. Look for a forthcoming email about scheduling
a visit to your institution.
• Finally, CGMA is also open to partnerships with graduate programs
and graduate students to facilitate the further development, testing
and use of this resource. Please contact us at [email protected] if you
would like to know more, or if you have comments, questions, or
criticisms.
Please spread the word about this new research tool, and thanks for
your patience, as our servers and programming experience their first
large-scale test of operability.
Thank you.
Pedar Foss and Rebecca Schindler
[email protected] [email protected]
. GIS inventory of Mediterranean surveys now online
Posted by: "Pedar Foss" [email protected]
Date: Fri Jan 5, 2007 3:48 pm ((PST))
5 January 2007
Mediterranean Archaeology GIS now on-line (MAGIS 1.0)
The Collaboratory for GIS and Mediterranean Archaeology (CGMA) is
pleased to announce the release of its on-line, browser-based GIS
inventory of regional archaeological surveys in the greater
Mediterranean area. Viewable by spatial (interactive map) search or
database query, this resource intends to serve as an essential
reference for information about completed and ongoing regional
archaeological surveys. Hundreds of surveys have been undertaken
since the development of this technique over four decades ago.
However, MAGIS is the first attempt to catalog their metadata, such
as: project name, researchers, methodologies, geographic coordinates,
chronological coverage, special studies (e.g., lithics or epigraphy),
bibliography, and the environmental characteristics of the study
areas. MAGIS will be a valuable tool for archaeologists, ancient
historians, anthropologists and sociologists interested in comparing
long-term historical trends and research techniques over broad areas
of the ancient Mediterranean. It also has ancillary uses as a basic
mapping resource for the Mediterranean world; the CGMA team will add
further useful layers (e.g., ancient cities, Roman provinces) to the
GIS in future releases. Also, many projects provide links to
satellite imagery of the survey areas via Flash Earth. The map
topography is currently at 1 km. resolution, but in the next release
we plan to be able to use 90 m. data.
MAGIS is located here:
http://cgma.depauw.edu/MAGIS/
MAGIS is a component of the CGMA project ( http://cgma.depauw.edu/ ), a
joint teaching and research initiative of DePauw University, Millsaps
College, Rhodes College, and the College of Wooster, funded by the
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and now sponsored by NITLE (http://
www.nitle.org/ ). The Principal Investigators are:
P. Foss and R. Schindler (DePauw). The Co-PIs are: M. Galaty
(Millsaps), K. Morrell (Rhodes), and P. Nick Kardulias (Wooster). Our
programmer is M. Beth Wilkerson of the GIS Center at DePauw University.
Most of the metadata for the survey projects has been entered by our
undergraduate students. Currently there are 272 entries. We know that
there are errors and gaps, in part because we have not been able to
access all relevant publications; in part because some information
(particularly the bounding coordinates of a survey), are not always
specified in a publication; in part because we have not yet
investigated all the relevant countries. Some are just our fault. We
will work to fix them, and we welcome comments and suggestions.
We have also not included any surveys from the British Isles, because
of the sheer volume of material, and because many projects there are
listed by the Archaeology Data Service ( http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/ ). We
may do so in the future.
We would like to ask the scholars responsible for their survey
projects to check and correct (or enter) the information about their
project(s). An extensive on-line help file explains how to navigate
and use the site, as well as exactly what we mean by our metadata
categories (for example, how we characterize various survey
methodologies or environmental variables).
A large, detailed and up-to-date database will help all of us
involved in Mediterranean survey. How can you help?
(1) Researchers may send in corrections or additions for a project
already in the database to: [email protected]
(2) Those wishing to enter metadata for a project not yet listed can
register to do so through the Data Entry page at: http://
cgma.depauw.edu/MAGIS/DB_Admin/db_submit/register.php
Metadata entered in this way will be stored in a holding database
until vetted and released to the online database by CGMA personnel.
This is primarily a way to protect the core database.
(3) Comment on any aspect of the resource that you think could be
improved: [email protected]
• Remember: MAGIS does not include any project _data_; only project
_metadata_ (information about a project, its area, its aims, and its
studies). It does not constitute 'publication' of a project in any way.
• If you are interested in adaptation or development of the open-
source code we have used to build CGMA, please let us know at
[email protected] .
• This spring, P. Foss of DePauw University will be available to
demonstrate the system to colleagues at universities and governmental
agencies across Europe. Look for a forthcoming email about scheduling
a visit to your institution.
• Finally, CGMA is also open to partnerships with graduate programs
and graduate students to facilitate the further development, testing
and use of this resource. Please contact us at [email protected] if you
would like to know more, or if you have comments, questions, or
criticisms.
Please spread the word about this new research tool, and thanks for
your patience, as our servers and programming experience their first
large-scale test of operability.
Thank you.
Pedar Foss and Rebecca Schindler
[email protected] [email protected]
Richard Campbell
Legio XX - Alexandria, Virginia
RAT member #6?
Legio XX - Alexandria, Virginia
RAT member #6?
