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This article presents a case study in the application of modern digital database and analytic technologies to historic archaeological museum collections and archival documents from excavations in the lower Tennessee Valley during the Great Depression. Differences in the quality and types of data collected during that period, in contrast to more modern work, have led many researchers to view these collections (and others of similar antiquity and provenience) as inadequate for new research, contributing to substantial neglect. However, these materials constitute the primary source of information about the prehistoric occupation of the lower Tennessee Valley, because that region is no longer accessible for field work. The integration of these collections and their associated documentation into modern, accessible formats is critical to enabling future research. This paper describes efforts to transform these archaeological collections and documentation into integrated relational geospatial databases, and the use of those databases to address current research questions. |
