Site Recorder is a geographical information system (GIS) and information management system (IMS) designed for use in maritime, freshwater and intertidal archaeology. Site Recorder can be used on maritime and intertidal archaeology projects for real-time data collection, decision support, publication, archiving and data migration. The program is designed for use by archaeologists rather than GIS experts.
Site Recorder can replace the many separate surveying, drawing, finds handing and reporting programs usually used on site. Site plans can be drawn that connect the positions of finds drawn on the plan with the positions of survey points, so the plans adapt and improve as more survey and recording data is added.
Site Recorder can be used for all phases of an archaeological project:
Data collection application for publication web sites
Research
Site Recorder has been used as a tool in the research into digital recording during archaeological excavations and for electronic publication of full documentary archives from sites. As part of this, a core database schema for recording maritime shipwreck sites has been developed and published.[1]
Site Recorder and its predecessor program Site Surveyor have also been used for research into survey methods that can be used on sites underwater.[2] From this research the Site Recorder SE (Student Edition) software was developed and made freely available to allow all archaeological projects access to high accuracy surveying ability. Site Recorder SE was adopted by the Nautical Archaeology Society training program in 2006.[3]
Significant projects
Site Recorder, Site Recorder SE, and Site Surveyor have been used on a number of significant archaeological projects:
The excavation of the Mary Rose in 2003-2005 by the Mary Rose Trust[4]
^Holt P., 2007, "Research Schema". Archived from the original on 2009-01-06. Retrieved 2009-07-10. The Site Recorder Database Schema
^ACHWS, 2000, Report for the years 1999-2000, "Archived copy"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on 2008-06-11. Retrieved 2008-06-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^Bass G, 2006, New techniques of archaeology and Greek shipwrecks of the sixth and fifth centuries BC, Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Volume 150 http://www.aps-pub.com/proceedings/1501/150101.pdf
^Gesner P., 1999, Expedition Leader's Chronicle "Archived copy"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on 2008-07-27. Retrieved 2009-07-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)