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The
recent publication of a number of manuals dedicated to excavation
(Drewett 1999, Collis 2001, Roskams 2001) highlights a renewed
interest in this subject. Nevertheless reference literature
fails to address one of the major contributive elements of
the last decades excavation practice: the use of IT. On the
other hand, dedicated contributions (see CAA papers) tend
to focus more on technical issues than on the implications
of using IT in humanities.
This paper explores three-dimensional GIS for excavation as
a framework within which the integration of theory and practice
has the potential of solving practical problems and revising
strategic choices during and after fieldwork. A cognitive
approach is used to test the response of 3D GIS technology
to a more rounded concept of excavation. Conversely, the influence
of such technology on our perception of the archaeological
record is discussed.
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