Managing the real with the virtual: A role for digital media recording in archaeological fieldwork

Abstract

Recent innovations in digital media have allowed for a surge of new techniques to be applied to an old problem - how to record and archive the archaeological record and the process of archaeological fieldwork. Like many new technologies, digital recording is rife with limitations and challenges - low resolution when compared to traditional film, a lack of standards for both media types and archiving methods, expensive entry costs and a relatively high technical skill level required for implementing a complete digital recording methodology, to name a few. However, the benefits of embracing digital recording techniques range from the practical to the profound, for once the initial investment has been made, digital media is relatively inexpensive and allows for a more rich and finer grain of recording, including exciting innovations in GIS-information systems and visualization tools. While the benefits may outweigh the costs, there is within the field of archaeology a strong "Resistance To Change" and a feeling that digital media recording, while novel and promising, is nonessential when compared to traditional photography and illustration.