Digital shift exposes uneven archaeology data stewardship, urging systemic standards and inclusive heritage governance
Original framing: “Digital revolution forcing archaeology to rethink research data management” — Phys.org
Robust scientific data management requires interoperable metadata standards (e.g., CIDOC‑CRM), persistent identifiers, and open‑access repositories that enable reproducibility and meta‑analysis across sites. Current practices often lack these foundations, limiting the cumulative value of archaeological research.
The digital turn in archaeology is less a simple technological upgrade than a flashpoint exposing historic inequities, fragmented data practices, and power asymmetries rooted in colonial extraction.
By weaving Indigenous custodianship, robust scientific standards, and cross‑cultural policy lessons into a unified governance model, the field can transform raw excavation records into resilient, inclusive heritage assets. Sustainable funding, participatory metadata creation, and ethically designed AI tools together form a feedback loop that safeguards both material and intangible cultural legacies for future generations. Actors ranging from university consortia and heritage ministries to Indigenous councils and philanthropic donors must coordinate to rewrite the archival narrative, turning the trickster’s paradox into a catalyst for systemic reform.