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New software is revolutionizing archeology: AutArch in action!
Researchers at JGU Mainz are developing the AI software “AutArch” for automated data extraction in archeology.
New software is revolutionizing archeology: AutArch in action!
Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have made significant progress in archeology with the development of the AI-supported software “AutArch”. This innovative solution aims to enable automatic data extraction from archaeological drawings and photographs. The results of this research were recently published in the Journal of Archaeological Science and are available as open source software on GitHub and Zenodo, such as presse.uni-mainz.de reported.
AutArch uses advanced neural networks to detect and analyze archaeological objects, including graves, human remains, ceramics and stone tools. This automation offers archaeologists the opportunity to efficiently evaluate large amounts of ancient data by replacing previously manual processes such as data extraction and image formatting. An example of this is the analysis of a grave, where the software recognizes the north arrow and scale to calculate the size and orientation of the objects.
Ease of use and flexibility
Another feature of AutArch is its user-friendly interface that allows users to review and customize the extracted data. This ensures a high level of flexibility and adaptability to the special requirements of the digital humanities. According to the developers, the software is scalable and can be applied to different materials as long as the shape, size or orientation of the objects is relevant.
The project is interdisciplinary and brings together computer scientists and archaeologists from all over Europe. Ralf Lämmel from the University of Koblenz plays an essential role in the implementation of the machine learning methods and statistical validation. In his role, he made a comprehensive contribution to increasing the efficiency of the analysis of archaeological data. The project was initiated by Maxime Brami and received funding from the German Research Foundation and the European Research Council as part of Horizon 2020.
Promoting digital methods in archaeology
The development of AutArch is part of a larger trend in which digital methods are increasingly finding their place in archaeology. The topic of data analysis and digital applications will be deepened during various conferences and workshops organized by specific working groups. Among the most recent events is this 8th German Archeology Congress, which took place in Berlin from October 6th to 10th, 2014 and was organized by AG CAA. Such meetings promote exchanges about modern technologies and their application in archaeological research.
In summary, AutArch not only revolutionizes the efficiency of archaeological data analysis, but also represents an example of fruitful collaboration between computer science and archaeology. With its open availability, the software is expected to have a significant impact on future research and handling of archaeological data, as demonstrated by events and developments in digital archeology in recent years.