From Library to Laboratory: Developing Tools to Enhance the Use of Digital Archaeological and Other Humanities Collections

FAIN: PR-258543-18

Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ 85281-3670)
Michelle Hegmon (Project Director: May 2017 to March 2021)

A Tier 1 project to develop a digital interface with a series of dynamic webpages to enhance search capabilities of archaeological field documents, images, and datasets from projects across the globe. As a test case, the project would use the Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database, which incorporates a collection of more than 10,500 photographs and datasets on pottery dating to around 1000-1500 CE from southwestern New Mexico, eastern Arizona, and northern Mexico.

Archaeologists and other humanities scholars today can access vast libraries of digital collections.  Scholars can download these collections, and given sufficient skills and software, analyze them for research.  We will develop tools to move this marvelous capability to the next level, transforming the libraries into laboratories.  Our tools will allow line analysis and research of these collections, enhancing research and opening access to the general public. Using funding assured from other means, we will also create K-12 and higher education programs utilizing these tools.  Our work will be done in the context of a large established digital repository, the Digital Archaeological Record (tDAR).  As a testbed, we will utilize the Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database (MimPIDD), a large collection of archaeological pottery images from the Mimbres region of the US Southwest.

Associated Products

MimPIDD Search (Computer Program)
Title: MimPIDD Search
Author: Michelle Hegmon
Author: James DeVos
Author: Adam Brin
Abstract: The product is search functionality, not a single program. It enables the searching of MimPIDD (the Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database) with easily navigable menus. A user can search for cases of her choice, based on one or many variables and variable states. Output is a gallery of images with associated data and (optionally) an Excel file. The search also be used with any database with a similar structure (i.e., a flat file in which each row is a case, and each case has one or more associated images).
Year: 2020
Primary URL: https://core.tdar.org/collection/22070/mimbres-pottery-images-digital-database-with-search
Primary URL Description: This URL takes you directly to the page where you can use the search.
Access Model: Open access, though parts of the database with sensitive information are restricted.
Source Available?: No

Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database with Search (Database/Archive/Digital Edition)
Title: Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database with Search
Author: Michelle Hegmon
Author: James DeVos
Author: Adam Brin
Abstract: This is essentially the same as the computer program "product." The Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database has been developed over the past two decades. It makes available images of and data on nearly all known Mimbres Black-on-white pottery, more than 10,500. The "product" of this grant was to develop the capability to search this database with easily navigable menus. The search returns a gallery of images and associated data and (optionally) an Excel file.
Year: 2020
Primary URL: https://core.tdar.org/collection/22070/mimbres-pottery-images-digital-database-with-search
Primary URL Description: This URL takes you directly to the page where you can access the search.
Access Model: Open access, though parts of the database with sensitive information are restricted.

Mimbres Pottery Education Resources for Grades K-3 (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Mimbres Pottery Education Resources for Grades K-3
Author: April Kamp-Whittaker
Abstract: These are curricular materials, designed for Grades K-3, designed to teach various skills using the Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database as its foundation. K-3 students explore visual analysis and look at database images to consider what animals they represent. Included are supporting material for teachers and worksheets for students.
Year: 2020
Primary URL: https://core.tdar.org/collection/69827/education-resources-mimbres-pottery-images-digital-database?selectedResourceTypes=PROJECT&startRecord=0
Primary URL Description: Education Resources - Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database
Audience: K - 12

Mimbres Pottery Education Resources for Grades 4-12 (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Mimbres Pottery Education Resources for Grades 4-12
Author: April Kamp-Whittaker
Abstract: These are curricular materials, designed for Grades 4-12, designed to teach various skills using the Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database as its foundation. Students learn about the scientific process. Specifically, they access images to test the hypothesis that the animals depicted on the pottery are food.
Year: 2020
Primary URL: https://core.tdar.org/collection/69827/education-resources-mimbres-pottery-images-digital-database?selectedResourceTypes=PROJECT&startRecord=0
Primary URL Description: Education Resources - Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database.
Audience: K - 12

Mimbres Pottery Education Resources for College Students (Course or Curricular Material)
Title: Mimbres Pottery Education Resources for College Students
Author: April Kamp-Whittaker
Abstract: These are curricular materials, designed for college students, that teach various skills using the Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database as a foundation. Students interact with the database using the search function. They search for data to test ideas proposed in the archaeological literature. One lesson teaches about attribute analysis and coding, a second tests hypotheses about the presence of feasting. Included are material for teachers and student worksheets.
Year: 2020
Primary URL: https://core.tdar.org/collection/69827/education-resources-mimbres-pottery-images-digital-database?selectedResourceTypes=PROJECT&startRecord=0
Primary URL Description: Education Resources - Mimbres Pottery Images Digital Database
Audience: Undergraduate

Understanding Mimbres Painted Pottery (Blog Post)
Title: Understanding Mimbres Painted Pottery
Author: Michelle Hegmon
Author: Will G. Russell
Abstract: Summary of forthcoming article, The Social Significance of Mimbres Painted Pottery
Date: 9/18/2020
Primary URL: https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/2020/09/18/understanding-mimbres-painted-pottery/
Website: Archaeology Southwest Preservation Archaeology Blog

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