Integrated Archaeological Database

The Integrated Archaeological Database system, or IADB for short, is designed to address the data management requirements throughout the lifespan of archaeological excavation projects, from initial excavation recording, through post-excavation analysis and research to eventual dissemination and archiving.

History |  Users |  Demonstration |  Requirements |  Costs

What the IADB Contains

Put simply, an IADB project database consists of data resources and the links, or connections between them. There are a number of different types of resources as shown below (click on a resource name to see an example):
Finds
Finds are sub-divided into Small Finds, Bulk Finds, Samples, Skeletons, Architectural Fragments and Structural Timbers. Find References take the form FSF12345.
Contexts
Each Context can belong to a single Set
Sets
Sets consist of one or more Contexts, for example, the cut of a pit and its several fills, and can belong to a single Group
Groups
Groups consist of one or more Sets, for example, several associated pit Sets, and can belong to a single Phase
Phases
Phases consist of one or more Groups
Objects
Objects consist of any combination of Finds, Contexts, Sets, Groups, Phases and other Objects. They are defined either as a list of members or as the result of a database query.
Images
Images include photographs and other digital raster images such as scanned X-rays. Each image can be linked to any number of Finds, Contexts, etc and can be inserted into
Illustrations
These include any type of digital vector illustration which can be converted into SVG format
Stratigraphy Diagrams
Any number of stratigraphy diagrams can be created in a Project. They are displayed and edited using a special browser plugin.
Documents
Documents can be internal HTML documents created and edited within the IADB, externally created documents (such as PDF files) uploaded and stored within the IADB, links to external (non-IADB) web resources, or references to paper documents.
Bibliography References
Each IADB server maintains a global Bibliography, from which selected items are tagged for inclusion within individual Projects.
A Brief History of the IADB

The Integrated Archaeological Database (IADB) has developed over many years. In the late eighties, Steve Stead and Pete Clark, then both at the Scottish Urban Archaeological Trust (SUAT) in Perth, started developing the concept of a computerised integrated database to record and help with the analysis of several large excavation projects on which SUAT was working at the time. When Mike Rains took over from Steve Stead at SUAT in 1989, he realised that some of the software development projects on which he had been working, initially at Durham University and then at the Scottish Development Department (later to become Historic Scotland), could together form the basis for starting to implement the IADB concept. These included a simple stratigraphic analysis program, a basic Context and Find cataloging application and an early attempt at a single context plan digitising solution.

Early versions of the IADB ran under MS-DOS and were written in Clipper and C using the dBase database format. Vector graphics used the GEM graphics library, a precursor to Windows. With the launch of Visual Basic, the IADB was moved to Windows using an MS Access database. In 1997, Mike Rains moved from SUAT to York Archaeological Trust and shortly afterwards the IADB programs were migrated to Delphi, still using an Access database. In 1999 work was begun on converting the IADB to a web application using MySQL and PHP.

In recent years, development has continued in collaboration with Amanda Clarke and Mike Fulford of the Silchester Town Life Project at Reading University. Grants from the AHRC have funded the development of the IADB as a web publication tool, and a grant from the JISC is currently funding the VERA project for the development of the IADB as a Virtual Research Environment for archaeology using the Silchester project as a test-bed.

Who is Using the IADB

Current users of the IADB include:


IADB Demonstration

This server contains a demonstration version of the IADB which you can access using the links below. You are advised to read the introductory notes first. The IADB is designed to be used with the Mozilla Firefox web browser. Most parts will also work in Internet Explorer and Opera, but you may experience some problems using these browsers. Firefox is available free of charge for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux from http://www.getfirefox.com. By clicking on the IADB Demo link below, you can log into the IADB using the username GUEST and keyword GUEST. This will give you read-only access to a small example project database, however, as the IADB is designed very much as an active working environment rather than as a passive resource, read-only access does not really allow you to explore the full potential of the IADB. If you would like to try out a fully working version of the demo in which you can create and edit IADB records, please contact Mike Rains for a user name and password and then click on the IADB Trial link below (GUEST does not work if you follow this link).
 

If after looking at the demo you would like any further information about the IADB or would like to arrange a 'test run' for your organisation, please contact Mike Rains.

System Requirements

If you are interested in using the IADB, then there are two routes open to you:
 
  • You can install, operate and maintain your own IADB server. This has the advantage of giving you complete control over your server but the downsides include higher initial costs and the need for in-house technical skills to set up and maintain the server. For example, data backup will be entirely your responsibility. Also, it will only be possible for YAT to provide support and upgrades if external access to your server can be arranged.
     
  • Your IADB database is hosted on the main IADB server maintained by YAT and leased from Rackspace Limited, one of the leading providers of managed web hosting facilities who provide excellent reliability and undertake daily data backups. Your IADB database remains totally seperate from the YAT database and other hosted databases, and you have complete control over, for example, the creation and management of Users and Projects within your database. As well as the automated daily backups by Rackspace, you will also have the option of taking your own local backup of your database at any time. Because the IADB program is managed centrally, all upgrades and bug fixes are available immediately to you and all your users.

Costs

The IADB is to be released as open source software which means, amongst other things, that there is no charge for the actual software, whether to install on your own server or used centrally via the hosting option.

YAT will make a daily (or pro-rata) charge plus expenses for all work undertaken to help you set up or maintain your own IADB server, any customisation of the program, and user training, at least a couple of days of which would normally be required under either the own server or hosted option. YAT's current daily charge (December 2007) is GBP 275 plus VAT per day, plus expenses.

Under the hosting option, YAT will make an additional charge for data storage. This will normally be GBP 50 plus VAT per calendar month, payable quarterly in advance. This charge remains the same regardless of how many Users or Projects you create within your database, but a higher charge may need to be negotiated if your database grows very large!

These charges will be reviewed in April each year and YAT reserves the right to increase them in line with inflation.

YAT currently makes no charge for basic telephone and email support for the IADB provided that all support requests are channelled through a single contact individual within each organisation using the IADB and, in the case of independent IADB servers, YAT has remote access to the server via HTTP and FTP. As the number of IADB users increases, YAT may need to reconsider this policy, in which case all users will be consulted.