AmazonArch
Amazonian Archaeological Sites Network
What is AmazonArch?
The Amazonian Archaeological Sites Network – AmazonArch - is a network of researchers that share data and information about archaeological sites distributed across Greater Amazonia. The main goal of this network is to compile and systematize archaeological data in a georeferenced database, which can be used by network members and other researchers under a specific data sharing and use policy.
What kind of data does AmazonArch contain?
The AmazonArch database contains data for more than 4,000 archaeological sites spread throughout the Amazon Basin. The basic information available for each archaeological site are its geographical coordinates, obtained with GPS in the field or extracted from published maps, and chronological data (absolute or relative). These sets of data have different levels of precision, and this information is also indicated in the database. Depending on the source of data, other layers of information are available for each site, e.g., site dimensions, type of site (i.e., lithic, ceramic, rock art, presence of anthropogenic soils, etc.), availability of ecological / ethnobotanical / archaeobotanical studies in the surroundings, etc. The database is being constructed and will be constantly updated from published data available in the literature and from primary data provided by researchers. The AmazonArch database is being used in some ongoing projects and has already been used in scientific publications.
Objectives
- Compile a robust, trustworthy and constantly updated database of the distribution and characteristics of archaeological sites across Amazonia;
- Recognize and acknowledge the effort of researchers who collected primary data, by offering them possibilities to propose or co-author papers using the database;
- Stimulate collaborations within the archaeological research community and between archaeologists and other researchers;
- Make the database of archaeological sites accessible to the research community, under a pre-defined data use and sharing policy.