Background information about EDNA

"Digital archeology requires a digital memory"
That slogan was used in recent years to bring care for digital data to the attention of Dutch archeologists. This happened within the framework of the EDNA pilot project. In the year 2007, the setting up of the e-depot for Dutch archeology was followed up by the retrospective archiving project EDNA II.

The start
In the period September 2004 to February 2006 a pilot project has been carried out in the Netherlands, called the e-Depot Nederlandse Archeologie (eDNA). This project was made possible by a subsidy granted by the foundation SURF, in the framework of the so-called DARE programme. With this project, the importance of durable archiving of digital data on archaeological research was brought to the attention of Dutch archaeologists.

An attempt is made to make scientists more aware of the possibilities of a digital archive. All finds and analogue documentation are transferred to a provincial depot after completion of the research, also because this is legally required. Digital files, however, generally disappear somewhere in a drawer or cupboard. Left to themselves, these data are in danger of becoming unreadable through f.i. media degradation and aging of the software. Precisely these digital data could form a very valuable source for scientific research. Through an electronic depot (e-depot) the digital data can be kept readable and easily accessible. Re-use of primary archaeological data can thus be much improved in the Netherlands.

Collaboration with DANS
The Dutch archeology e-depot is accommodated at DANS. The e-depot stores the digital files with research data of Dutch archeologists. These are the files with the primary archeological data of excavations, regional explorations and material studies. It notably concerns completed and published research results, of which the author(s) has (have) made the basic data accessible to other scientists.The e-depot will ensure durable archiving and unlocking of all digital documentation of the archeological research. Both the research descriptions and all data can be downloaded via the archiving system EASY.

Agreements to this end have been laid down in the new quality standard for Dutch archeology (KNA 3.1). EDNA is a collaboration between DANS and the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed (RCE).

On this project web site of the e-depot Dutch archeology, you will find all sorts of background information, for example about the pilot project and its results. The archived projects of this pilot have meanwhile been accommodated within EASY.