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What is ARCSCore?

ARCSCore is a metadata framework aimed at describing archaeological documentation (field journals, maps, photographs, etc.) and preserving information about the archaeological context within which the documentation was created. ARCSCore describes items like field journals and site elevations/plans (in physical and digital formats) within the setting of an archaeological investigation. Its primary focus is the archaeological documentation itself and not the excavated cultural artifact or structure.

ARCSCore offers a standardized yet flexible way to describe the entirety of an archaeological investigation. With cascading groups of fields, ARCSCore metadata allows users to capture important data about (1) the overarching archaeological enterprise or project; (2) periods of time, for example seasons or campaigns, when archaeological investigations took place; (3) individual units of study or excavation that comprise a field season or campaign; (4) archaeological documents; and (5) the subject matter or topic of investigation of the archaeological documentation (including generic subject metadata and fields that capture data about individual excavated artifacts and structures).

Depending on the inclination of a project, ARCSCore users may fully implement all 5 levels of the metadata framework or only adopt specific fields at each level. In order to preserve the context within which the archaeological documentation was created, ARCS recommends populating some fields on each level of the framework, especially levels 1-4.

Further, ARCS strongly recommends using the most general metadata fields on level 5. These subject fields allow ARCS to classify documentation into meaningful subject categories that permit users to locate, compare, and analyze archaeological documentation across the ARCS system. Level 5 fields, known as Subject of Observations fields, specify that an inventory card contains data about a bronze, stamped, Greek coin from some time period, for example. By categorizing the card in this way, ARCS users can search for and examine other documentation, like photographs, that contain data about similar coins and/or other related artifacts and structures from the same time period.

Detailed Subject of Observation fields capture data about a single instantiation of an artifact or structure. These granular fields record information, for example, about the diameter of the excavated coin, its condition, text inscribed on the coin, and the name of the repository holding the coin.

At the discretion of each project, detailed Subject of Observation fields can be used to describe excavated cultural artifacts or structures. However, this is totally optional and not an ARCS requirement.

Should an ARCS project elect to use ARCSCore in this way, project leaders could (1) map fields in their own accessioning systems to the appropriate ARCSCore fields; (2) use ARCSCore Subject of Observation fields as currently defined; or (3) modify and document Subject of Observation fields that better suit their project.