Alcaide

Archaeological information system

Preserving our archeological heritage

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Alcaide

Information system for archaeological excavation management

Alcaide is a software that aims to help managers and technicians to collect and organize information produced during an archaeological excavation project. The solution is based on sound archaeological practices, tested in the field and based on international standards.

The software was developed alongside archaeologists from several countries taking advantage of their knowledge and expertise of the fieldwork to better identify the processes and optimize the software to make sure data input and consultation is done as easily as possible.

The software mirrors the natural workflow of archaeological activities and uses standardized terminology to describe each piece of information.

Your information will never be lost again

Regardless of how Alcaide is used, the data collected is quickly dispatched out of the working environment to avoid losses of information due to device failure or damage caused by accident.

All the data inserted is available online and can be be consulted in real time by all users, including excavation managers, being them on the excavation site or in their office.

The information entered in the Alcaide software is always stored in the server/cloud. At any time and anywhere, users can manage archaeological activity using any device with Internet access.

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Advantages

01. Complete record of daily activities

Alcaide allows users to record and access the daily excavation journals. That way it is possible to know who did what, when and where. This information is immediately available to the excavation manager, enabling her to produce sector journals and other essential managing reports by simply clicking a button.

02. Automatic generation of site plans and Harris matrices

Alcaide uses various metaphors to represent the excavation area, including the presentation of squares and their stratigraphic units. That way it is possible to have an overview of the dig and the dimensions of the archaeological site. Alcaide also generates Harris Matrices automatically, enabling everyone to understand it perfectly.

03. Support for Munsell colour system

Alcaide has a tool that allows users to introduce Munsell colour codes based on soil samples, without having to use Munsell Soil Book of Colour. The application also allows the build of a colour map based on the stratigraphic units of the field and the respective excavation sector.

04. Standard workflow

Alcaide ensures that different stages of the archaeological research are carried out according to a well-established workflow that is both practical and efficient. The application uses standard and precise terminology to make sure that all users speak the same “language”. The software simplifies the introduction of data by means of controlled vocabularies that promote the use of best practices.

05. Real time reports

Alcaide’s reporting capabilities are exceptional! The system implements a set of reports that reflect the most demanding reporting needs. The excavation manager may at any given time issue site, sector and square journals reports. It can also produce sector, stratigraphic, unit, bag, artefact, sector plan, Harris matrix, financial reports and campaign statistics.

06. Task optimisation

Because all the information is introduced in a distributed way across the various excavation participants, gathering information and subsequent reporting is immeasurably simpler and faster. The system enables each user to perform the operations appropriate to their activity profile, allowing the registration of information to be a collaborative activity with the contribution from all professionals.

Charateristics

Excavation management

Management of archaeological projects

In the Excavation management module, users are able to coordinate archaeological projects, excavation campaigns and archaeological sites. The excavation director can define the duration of a campaign and the sites to be worked on during that period. At any time, users can obtain statistical reports on the work done during the campaign.

The excavation director has access to all site journals as well as the ability to print them in combination with all sector and square journals made on a particular day.

The Excavation management module also has the ability to define the profiles and permissions of each participant in a given project. For example, the excavation director can define who has permissions to upload drawings and/or photographs, or who can enter sector journals. She can also limit who can see the fieldwork or lab information associated with a particular site.

Fieldwork

Record of activities

In the Fieldwork module users may record the various activities performed during an archaeological excavation. The user can quickly and intuitively set up a sector plan, manage stratigraphic units, squares, diaries, bags, drawings and photos.

Alcaide automatically offers the ability to interactively create field plans by sector. These field plans allow users to easily configure the structure of the sector (e.g. area, square grid or inner squares) and define the stratigraphic units in each component. The same field plans facilitate the input of field data directly into the desired square, e.g. journal information, bags, etc.

In Alcaide, the extracted material can be associated with a bag. Automatic identifiers are created at the time of registration. Users may place a set of items in a bag. These items, depending on their nature, can later be marked and give rise to artefacts or samples. This data is available for further analysis, facilitating research work over these items.

Logistics

Material requisitions

The Logistics module enables users to request additional material that is necessary on the excavation site. These include materials necessary for work, hotels, human resources, meals, repairs, transportation, etc. New requests go through a simple approval workflow before they can be fulfilled.

This information can be consulted at any time by relevant staff and financial reports can be produced to allow excavation managers to get an overview of the costs incurred.

Alcaide also allows managers to communicate with their teams by posting messages that become visible on the user’s personal dashboard. This way the entire team is synchronised and well informed of all ongoing activities.

Laboratory

Analysis of the materials obtained in the field

In the Laboratory module users can analyse the materials obtained in the field.

Once collected and washed, bags containing these materials can be marked and, depending on the nature of the items within them, these can give rise to artefacts or samples that are automatically labelled and identified.

With a simple mouse click, users can know the bag, the square, and the stratigraphic unit from where a particular artefact or sample came from.

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