Tracing interdisciplinarities of archaeological data work: identifying and turning evidence visible

Presentation at the European Association for Archaeologists (EAA) 2026 conference in Athens.

Abstract

Earlier research on archaeological documentation practices suggest that the inclusion of different aspects of archaeological work in documentation vary heavily. Especially knowledge representation and organisation related decisions and practices in the context of data work are explicated seldom in comprehensive detail. It has been, however, noted that evidence of such activities can be identified across documentation and in investigation data. What remains particularly underresearched in this context so far is where specifically in research documentation such evidence could be found and how it could be identified.

The aim of this presentation is to report results from a qualitative/quantitative investigation drawing from information science methods and theory to summary descriptions of archaeological research projects to understand how data work is described directly and indirectly in archaeological documentation, and how the representation of different types of data work differ from each other. The purpose of the work is to identify keywords, contexts and articulations how documentation refers to and indirectly implicates varieties of data work, and to understand how the disciplinarities of data work are reflected in the documentation. The findings suggests that data work is often implied in documentation through its outcomes and effects on other practices but that it is also possible to identify keywords that directly suggests of data work taking place. In parallel, the findings suggests that the disciplinary origins and traditions of specific practices of data work influence how they are described and implicated. The practical relevance of the findings is that they can inform development of protocols for identifying and extracting process documentation (i.e. paradata). On a theoretical note, a better understanding of the documentation of data work helps to understand how archaeologists conceptualise data work and how it is positioned as a part of the cross-disciplinary practice of archaeological work.