In Rescue Archaeology, where the control of either efficient diagnostics or scientific quality, budget and time of operations, are major constraints, computerized methods are the key of improvement of quality and productivity of the projects.
Various computerized methods are presented here and integrated into a global methodological framework for Rescue Archaeology, developed following several phases:
Phase 1 : Diagnostic
- Use of Retrieval Information Systems for data acquisition (first step) :archaeological maps, various geographical maps, bibliographical information systems, various databases,
- Global surveys by aerial photography and by random sampling (transects, cores, sections)
- Configurators (templates using time and expenses ratios by categories of site for Rescue Archaeology).
Phase 2 : Operations
2.1 Organization and logistics
- Project management packages (office, planning, time and expenses management, accounting management, procurement management),
2.2 Data Acquisition (second step) and local surveys
- Geographic Information System (G.I.S.), dedicated for Rescue Archaeology, including digitalized acquisition systems (maps, photography's, drawings, DEM, GPS), zoning management and survey optimization by kriging.
2.3 Excavations
- Archaeological Information System for excavations (A.I.S.) including DBMS for data recording, CAD/CAM for mapping/drawing and 3D digitalisation.
2.4 Landscape modelling
- -Data Analysis and statistic packages for predictive modelling.
Phase 3 : Publishing
- Standard editing framework for archaeological publishing,
- Multimedia databases,
- CD-ROM,
- Virtual Reality.
Many of the above computerised solutions are not specific to Rescue Archaeology. But, for others, several ones need to be specially customised for Rescue Archaeology purposes (G.I.S., standard editing framework) or are totally specific to Rescue Archaeology (configurators, zoning management, random sampling, kriging and predictive modelling). These solutions will be specially developed here.