Name: Archaeological Information System of the Czech Republic
Institution: Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno
Coordinator: Mgr. Olga Lečbychová; lecbychova@arub.cz
Website
AIS CR is a centrally provided public service that ensures the safe storage of archaeological data while promoting the spread, synergistic use and accessibility of that data for the scientific community and the general public. AIS CR is committed to making sure all components of its system are integrated so that it is able to circulate information, provide an ongoing administrative agenda for archaeological fieldwork, support education, and deliver a primary data source for scientific research. Until recently, Czech archaeology lacked the requisite infrastructure for data analysis and had no management structure in place to create, store or vouchsafe the quality of data. With the creation of AIS CR, all information systems related to the nation’s archaeological heritage were centralised under a unified platform – the Archaeological Map of the Czech Republic – with further related services subsequently formed, such as the Digital Archive of the AMCR, the Archaeological Atlas of the Czech Republic and the web portal Prague Archaeological. The main mission of AIS CR is to have an integrated administration system for the field of archaeology in place, as well as a database of quality information on archaeological sites and monuments that can be accessed without any restrictions by as many domestic and international users as possible. In order to improve the quality and information potential, AIS CR rescues and protects archaeological data on previous excavations and archived research. Such data would be scattered or
irretrievably lost without the existence of an efficient storage system. AIS CR has already brought about important changes in terms of the approach taken towards excavations and the administration of archaeological assemblages. This involves creating a dynamic model of circulation of information to aid archaeological practice, introducing a uniform classification and administration system of archaeological research, sites and documentation, and providing a digital database for professionals and the wider public. Currently, all basic information on upcoming, ongoing and completed archaeological fieldwork in the Czech Republic, together with research results, are stored in AIS CR. The aim is to constantly enhance the collection of available digital services through partnerships on international research projects so that data continue to be integrated. This helps uphold standards with regard to sharing and circulating archived archaeological data based on best practice, taking into account the principles of FAIR data (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable). AIS CR uses open data principles and open-source solutions to support the international compatibility and accessibility of the information and services it provides domestically, and fosters continued international collaboration through its involvement in European research infrastructures, such as ARIADNE (Advanced Research Infrastructure for Archaeological Data Networking in Europe) and E-RIHS (European Digital Infrastructure for Heritage Science).
