1. About the project
  2. Creation of the digital archive
  3. Digitisation

Digitisation of Tell el-Daba resources

We have created digitisation workflows for all digital and analogue resources. A download of templates for future projects on TD resources can also be found here in the download section (https://4dpuzzle.orea.oeaw.ac.at/downloads) and they are also available directly via ARCHE (section: AboutThisArchive_Archivinformation_E73, folder: Download4FutureProjects).

Analogue resources - scanning and metadata creation workflow

  1. Scanning: According to different requirements for different resource types (Table 1).
  2. Metadata creation: includes creation of the unique identifier for the resource and the scan title (a short description of its content) which automatically creates the filename in the spreadsheet; entering identifiers of archaeological objects and excavation objects, loci IDs to link the record to them; entering additional metadata for the respective resource and the digitization process (like scale, ppi rate and used hardware);
  3. If necessary, create the relevant identifiers in the master metadata table.
  4. The analogue resource is marked with a pencil to show that it has been scanned (name of person who created the scan, date).
  5. If necessary (e.g when irregularities were encountered during metadata creation and a deviation of standard procedure was made), data logs have to be updated.
  6. At the end of each workday, all metadata files were committed to the git-repository. Additionally, we created backups of all updated files by copying them into a backup folder on our network drives.


    7. Resource Scanner ppi File size each
    B&W and colour photo negatives Noritsu HS-1800 (in 2nd part of project) 3130x2075
    4832x4760     		18,6 - 65,8 MB
    Find sheets Epson 11000XL 300 ppi 45 MB
    Field drawings Epson 10000XL/Epson 11000XL/WideTek 25/ EPSON GT 20000 600 ppi Average 250 MB
    Convolute cards Epson 11000XL 300 ppi 94 MB
    Find drawings Epson 11000XL 1200 ppi 32 MB
    Field diaries Epson 11000XL 300 ppi 5 MB/sheet

    Table 1: Scanning standards. File resolutions for scanning analogue documents followed the recommendations of good practice guides (ADS, Archaeological Data Service/Digital Antiquity 2017, IANUS, Forschungsdatenzentrum Archäologie und Altertumswissenschaften 2014).


    Born-digital resources - summary of workflow:

    1. Survey of digital resources in legacy data folder to omit duplicates and versions of files, decide which files to preserve.
    2. Development of a workflow (based on Good practice guides for long-term preservation of digital objects (ADS 2017, IANUS 2014; finally ARCHE guides https://arche.acdh.oeaw.ac.at/browser/deposition-process ).
    3. Preparation of born-digital data for archiving (conversion into durable file formats suitable for long term preservation according to ARCHE https://arche.acdh.oeaw.ac.at/browser/formats-filenames-and-metadata#formats ; correction of file names; metadata). A very detailed documentation of the workflow is available here and will be made accessible via the project webpages and will also be archived in ARCHE (‘AboutThisArchive_Archivinformation_E73’).
    4. Iterative file checks when parts of data were ready -> corrections, until data was in good shape.
    5. Completion of preparation of data