Minutes of the meeting in: Stavanger, Norway, July 3-5 1995

Participants:

Henrik Jarl Hansen, National Museum of Denmark, Denmark

Roger Leech, Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, England

Judy Marsh, Department of Canadian Heritage, Canada

Ziva Simon, Eretz Israel Museum, Israel

Joseph Busch, Getty Art History Information Project, USA

Gillian Quine, Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, England

Veletta Canouts, National Parks Service, USA

Trevor Reynolds, English Heritage, England

Dominique Guillot, Ministere de la Culture et de la Francophonie, France

Roger Leech opened the meeting by welcoming all participants. He noted that Steve Stead (England) and Irina Oberlander-Tarnoveanu (Romania) had expressed regret at not being able to attend the meeting. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.

Roger Leech then tabled several pieces of correspondence. Elena Tashak (Russia) sent a list of regional archaeological centres in the Russian federation. Toni Peterson sent a letter verifying the inclusion of a reference to the Archaeological Sites Working Group in the MICMO publication. Comments on the Core Data Standard were received from Andrew Roberts.

The next item discussed was the Core Data Standard. Copies were circulated to the group. Roger Leech acknowledged the contribution made by Gillian Quine, Steve Stead and Veronica Smith to the publication of this document. He also acknowledged the contribution made by Dominique Guillot toward the publication of the French version of the document. Plans were then made to formally launch the document during the CIDOC meeting on July 4.

There followed a lengthy discussion on the dissemination of the document. Veletta Canouts volunteered to produce a Spanish version of the Core Data Standard for dissemination. Dominique Guillot agreed to send a digital copy of the French version of the document to Andrew Roberts for inclusion on the CIDOC World Wide Web site. 50 copies of the standard will be sent to ICOM in Paris. It was mentioned that, by law, it may have to be submitted to specific libraries in the countries in which it was printed. A short discussion followed concerning the way in which the standard will be revised. It was decided that the presence of a contact name in the front of the document will direct comments and revisions to the proper place.

The relationship of the European Core Data Standard to the CIDOC Core Data Standard was discussed briefly. The group agreed to welcome the adoption of Chapter three as the basis for the European Archaeological Core Data Standard which is a subject of discussion at the Council of Europe Colloquy in Oxford in September 1995. Henrik Hansen reported that the Council of Europe Architectural Group wishes to expand the architectural core data index to reflect ensembles.

Roger Leech announced that Toni Peterson would be chairing a working group (comprised of representatives from all other working groups) to conduct an analysis of all CIDOC standards. The group decided that Gill Quine should be the archaeology representative.

Andrew Roberts (chair, CIDOC) requested that someone from the group take responsibility for the maintenance of the Core Data Standard on the World Wide Web. Henrik Hansen agreed to perform this task and will seek information on the procedure from Andrew Roberts. The group encouraged the board to issue guidelines. Dominique Guillot will send the French version, as a file, to Henrik. A proposal was then made to create a home page for the Archaeological Sites Working Group. It was agreed that this would be addressed as an agenda item at the next meeting.

Trevor Reynolds was nominated as the group member responsible for liaison with ICMAR (ICOM Archaeology Group). Liaison will include dissemination of the core data standard.

The next agenda item was the Directory of National Records. A draft directory had been compiled for the meeting which contained the names and addresses of all questionnaire respondents. The document was examined and it was decided that the entire format must be revised. Following a long discussion, it was decided that the title of the document should be Survey of National Archaeological Records. It was also decided that the directory should contain a list of all countries known to have national or regional inventories whether they replied to the questionnaire or not. A list of countries to whom the questionnaire was sent but no response was received will be included in the document. Group members will continue to identify contact people in as many countries as possible. The group agreed that, rather than a simple list of respondents, the directory should reflect the wealth of information that was obtained from the questionnaire. It was decided that Veletta Canouts, Judy Marsh and Steve Stead should prepare an analysis of the inventory portion of the questionnaire responses. This will be completed by the Nairobi meeting and will be presented in the form of a paper. The results will then be incorporated into the document. It is hoped that we can make the questionnaire (blank copy to be downloaded and submitted), the analysis and a list of the countries who responded available on Internet.

The next agenda item was the Multilingual Glossary. The Council of Europe Archaeological Working Group has produced a glossary of Bronze Age terms. This was briefly reviewed. The group then agreed that the proposal to attempt to create a multilingual glossary should be discarded for the time being.

The next agenda item was the Programme for '95 Onwards. Among several projects proposed were the Council of Europe Bronze Age Campaign, the Council of Europe Historic Landscapes project, the European Union Kaleidoscope Project, the creation of an archaeological sites home page, the analysis of the questionnaire and the implementation of a project to test the Core Data Standard. A very lengthy discussion followed.

The group agreed to undertake an ambitious program over the next three years. The projects agreed upon were:

1. Dissemination of the Survey of National Archaeological Records questionnaire. It was decided that the installation of the questionnaire and the directory on Internet would ensure a wide dissemination. It was also agreed that an analysis of the inventory portion of the questionnaire should be completed before the Nairobi meeting.
2. Dissemination of the Core Data Standard. Gillian Quine will ensure that copies of the Core Data Standard are sent to organizations who are responsible for national and regional archaeological inventories in Africa. Addresses will be obtained through Africom. Individual members of the working group are encouraged to give presentations, etc. to promote the standard. Members will be requested to report on such activities at the next meeting. Each member is also requested to deposit a copy of the Core Data Standard with the National Library in their respective countries.
3. Implementing the Core Data Standard. Members of the group are asked to identify potential pilot projects for implementation of the Core Data Standard.
4. Multimedia Project on Bronze Age in Europe. To be worked on in cooperation with Council of Europe. Roger Leech will send a letter to Karen Orrling immediately to confirm.
5. Archaeological Sites Home Page on World Wide Web. Home page will include aims and mandate of the group as well as pointers to other pages. Veletta Canouts will prepare a home page, undertaking any necessary discussions with CIDOC and ICOM regarding guidelines. This will be completed before next meeting.
6. Workshop/Session at Nairobi CIDOC Meeting. Henrik Hansen, as Chair of the group will write to the organizers of the Nairobi meeting to arrange a session and workshop relating to the documentation of archaeological records. The group would like the session and the workshop to provide an opportunity to learn more about the work that is being done in Africa, rather than simply a session which describes efforts in other countries. Trevor Reynolds and Joseph Busch will coordinate the development of a workshop and will liaise with Veletta Canouts who has been asked to do a National Parks Service workshop.
7. Strengthen contacts with ICOMOS. The Chairman of the working group will organize a contribution to the ICOMOS newsletter on the Core Data Standard. He will also liaise with the International Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management (ICAHM) and ICOMOS UK regarding the guidelines which they have produced for the recording of sites and monuments. A copy of the Core Data Standard will be sent to the Director General of ICOMOS and to the Chair of ICAHM.
8. CIDOC Standard for Archaeological Objects. This document currently exists only in French. In collaboration with the appropriate CIDOC groups, we will translate it into English and complete the work on it.
9. One World Archaeology Volume. The group agreed that it would be interested in editing a volume on national archaeological inventories, incorporating papers delivered at the World Archaeological Congress in New Delhi and other contributions. Henrik Hansen and Gillian Quine will prepare a proposal for this volume by the end of September. Dominique Guillot will explore the possibility of papers being published in French.
10. Kaleidoscope Programme. Roger Leech informed the group of a European initiative designed to provide support for a network of national archaeological records in Europe. He suggested that the group could act as a forum for representatives of these records.

The next agenda item was the election of officers. The new executive will include:

Henrik Hansen (Denmark), Chairman

Dominique Guillot (France), Deputy Chair

Gillian Quine (England), secretary

Judy Marsh (Canada), membership

The next agenda item was the Place and Date of the Next Meeting. A meeting will be held in conjunction with the CIDOC meeting in Nairobi, Kenya in September (23?), 1996. Two possible venues were suggested for a meeting in advance of Nairobi - a meeting in conjunction with the Computer Applications in Archaeology meeting in Romania in March and a meeting in conjunction with the Society for American Archaeology meetings in New Orleans in April. It was agreed that we should try to meet in New Orleans. Veletta Canouts will check on the possibility of organizing a CHIN/CIDOC/ICOM booth at the meeting. It was noted that individual letters of invitation should be sent to group members.

Before the meeting was adjourned, Roger Leech was thanked for all of his hard work on behalf of the Archaeological Sites Working Group. It is hoped that he will continue to be an active member of the group.