Creating a Virtual Research Environment for Archaeology

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SAA Vancouver March 2008
Creating a Virtual Research Environment for
Archaeology
Mike Rains York Archaeological Trust admin_at_yorkarc
haeology.co.uk
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VERA
Virtual Environments for Research in Archaeology
University of Reading University College
London York Archaeological Trust
Virtual Research Environments Programme
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Background
What is Web 2.0?

• Tim OReilly The network is the platform
• Andi Gutmans (Zend) Rich internet applications
• Sir Tim Berners-Lee Web 2.0 is what Web 1.0
  should have been

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Background
Practical Development

• Asynchronous client-server communication
• Preservation of state cookies
• Dynamic pages DOM, DHTML, Javascript
• Partial page updates
• IFRAMES visible and invisible
• XMLHttpRequest Object
• XML and JSON
• AJAX

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Background
Issues

• Security
• Graceful failure
• Cross-browser compatibility open v. closed
  systems
• Web limitations the future of SVG
• Browser navigation Back/Forward/Home/History

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Developing a Virtual Research Environment
Background

• University of Reading - Silchester Town Life
  Project
• Integrated Archaeological Database (IADB)
• Funded by UK JISC Virtual Research Environments
  (VRE) programme
• Core team based in Reading
• Wider group of specialists

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Developing a Virtual Research Environment
Requirements

• Self-contained Virtual Research Domain (VRD)
• Each VRD encapsulates a research issue or
  activity
• VRD provides direct access to key resources
• Collaborative online document editing
• Minimal user training

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Developing a Virtual Research Environment
Summary

• Stratigraphy Diagram
• Contexts Relationships
• Enhanced Structure Diagram (ESD)
• Contexts Relationships Plans Photos, etc
• ESD Virtual Research Domain (VRD)
• VRD encapsulates key resources
• Rich interactive user experience AJAX, DHTML,
  etc
• Intuitive
• Retains full access to all IADB resources

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http//intarch.ac.uk/journal/issue21/silchester_in
dex.html
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Conclusions and The Way Ahead

• VRE and the LEAP Project
• Provided a common working environment
• Simplified and streamlined the research process
• Fostered teamwork
• Future Directions
• Further development of Enhanced Structure
  Diagrams
• Improved Editing
• Possible three dimensionality
• Direct-to-web publishing of ESDs and VRDs
• Aimed at the wider archaeological audience

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The VERA Project Team
The VERA project has a core team of researchers
based at the University of Reading (UoR),
University College London (UCL), and York
Archaeological Trust (YAT). To advise the
project, VERA has a Steering Group made up of
experts in the field of Archaeology, Virtual
Research Environments, and the user community.
Project Manager and Director Professor Mark Baker
(UoR) Associate Directors Professor Mike Fulford
(UoR)Ms Amanda Clarke (UoR)Dr Claire Warwick
(UCL) Dr Melissa Terras (UCL)Mr Mike Rains
(YAT) Research Assistants Dr Matthew Grove
(UoR)Ms Emma O'riordan (UoR)Ms Claire Fisher
(UCL)
Steering Group Dr Stuart Dunn (King's College
London)Mr Steve Gough (University of
Reading)Professor Gary Lock (University of
Oxford) Dr Jeremy Huggett (University of
Glasgow) Professor Vince Gaffney (University of
Birmingham) Professor Julian Richards
(University of York) Dr Robert Allan (Daresbury
Laboratory) Mr Edmund Lee (English Heritage) Mr
Chris Brayne (Wessex Archaeology)
http//www.vera.reading.ac.uk