Conception

This software was created to support the analysis of "small finds" data from the Jezreel Expedition survey and excavation project.

The Jezreel Expedition was established in 2012 with no specific vision for digital data mangement. Notes were recorded on paper and entered into Excel sheets, and photographs and other images were uploaded onto dig computers and/or into Dropbox folders. The disconnect between paper notes, Excel sheets, and digital images presented problems for those tasked with analyzing data between field seasons.

When active excavations ended, it became clear that ongoing collaborative efforts between team members and specialists in different countries required an online system with the following attributes:

• It should be web-based and easy to use.
• It should prioritize the functionality most relevant to specialists.
• It should facilitate easy media integration (images should be appear alongside written observations).
• It should be suited to self-hosting and use the cheapest and least complex technology available.
• It should allow for future institutional online publication and archiving.