Expanding Knowledge of the Past with Technology

By its very nature, archaeology is an infinitely complicated task which requires a vast collection of knowledge and expertise.  Millions of archaeological artifacts from thousands of sites need to be examined, interpreted and made sense of so that the links to the past can be deciphered.  It is only through this close examination that the truth can be revealed.  More often than not, finding these truths is a time-consuming and flawed process.  Artifacts are scattered over the face of the earth, making their homes in museums and generally inaccessible to most people, including many of those who would wish to study them.  Luckily, advances in technology are allowing greater access to pieces of the puzzles that need to be solved.

The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology began a project that was designed to make their collection easier to catalogue and has since turned into an online database filled with photographs of and information about the items in their collection.  This gives a unique opportunity for people from around the world, both professional and amateur, to examine these objects with a capacity that is the next best thing to being in their physical presence.

Similar types of databases are being put together by other organizations, including several which provide information on current expeditions and excavations.  With all this information readily available to the general public, the number of minds working on these puzzles of the past has increased exponentially.  People from all over the world can now examine the evidence themselves, contribute their own theories and thoughts and possibly assist researchers by pointing them in directions where they may not have thought to look.

As amazing as the project is, it is only at its beginning.  Of more than 600,000 artifacts at the U of P Museum, only 25,000 have been imaged and put into the database so far.  Much work lies ahead before these databases can reach their full potential in helping to understand our world’s history.