EAMENA Summer Workshop

Analyzing the EAMENA database with R and Python scripted routine

Thomas Huet, Kristen Hopper, Will Deadman

EAMENA Workshop 7-8^th July 2022

In the front end, the best way to collect EAMENA data is to "clipboard" the result of a search as a GeoJSON URL. This URL can be pasted into a web browser and it is converted into a GeoJSON object (JSON is the main format for data exchange). From the back-end, a connector can be created with R and/or Python to query directly the Postgresql database, where all the EAMENA data is stored. Nowadays, Python is the most widely used programming language in the world. For the EAMENA project it would rather have a back-end usage to develop new core functionalities (ex: ring-fencing). R is the most used programming language in archaeology. It is adapted for a front-end use. R and/or Python scripts can be either used in standalone files, or shared online, to create any possible outputs (graphs, maps interactive or not, narratives with calculated fields, etc.).

Assessment Activity Date

A Date record type, in the standard format YYYY-MM-DD (ISO-8601)

Python - JavaScript - ElasticSearch

EDTF

Extended Date/Time Format (EDTF) is an iso-standard (ISO 8601-2) extending the Date format. It provides a formal syntax to record fuzzy dates, very precise dates (timestamp), negative date, intervals, seasons, and a number of other standardised formats

EDTF on the Library of Congress

Bam Citadel

EAMENA-0164997

Bam is situated in a desert environment on the southern edge of the Iranian high plateau. The origins of Bam can be traced back to the Achaemenid period (6^th to 4^th centuries BC). Its heyday was from the 7^th to 11^th centuries, being at the crossroads of important trade routes and known for the production of silk and cotton garments. The existence of life in the oasis was based on the underground irrigation canals, the qanāts, of which Bam has preserved some of the earliest evidence in Iran. Arg-e Bam is the most representative example of a fortified medieval town built in vernacular technique using mud layers (Chineh).

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1208/

Photograph

Bam citadel in September 2003, three months before the earthquake

Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Earthquake

Date: 2003-12-26 ; Time: 01:56:52 GMT

EDTF

2003-09

Photograph

Bam citadel after the earthquake (unknown date)

Wikimedia, Public domain

EDTF

..2003-12-26T01:56:52+03:30

ID	Name
AM001	Tell Soran
AM002	Tell Alsheykh Rih
AM003	Tell Akhtareen
AM004	Tell Arshaf
AM005	Tell Maled
AM006	Tell Battal
AM007	Tell Bhorta
AM008	Tell Sha'eer
AM009	Tell Dapiq
AM010	Tell Baraghedeh
AM011	Tell Mizab
AM012	Tell Ahmar (Al Bab)
AM013	Tell al-Fursan
AM014	Tell Arab Hasan Kabır
AM015	Tell Abu Jadha (al Taiarah)
AM016	Tell Ahmar (Barsip)
AM017	Tell al-Halawanji (Castle)
AM019	Abu Qilqil
	Tell al-Bel

S_ID	Name
AM001	Tell Soran
AM002	Tell Alsheykh Rih
AM003	Tell Akhtareen
AM004	Tell Arshaf
AM005	Tell Maled
AM006	Tell Battal
AM007	Tell Bhorta
AM008	Tell Sha'eer
AM009	Tell Dapiq
AM010	Tell Baraghedeh
AM011	Tell Mizab
AM012	Tell Ahmar (Al Bab)
AM013	Tell al-Fursan
AM014	Tell Arab Hasan Kabır
AM015	Tell Abu Jadha (al Taiarah)
AM016	Tell Ahmar (Barsip)
AM017	Tell al-Halawanji (Castle)
AM019	Abu Qilqil
	Tell al-Bel

Tell Dapiq (AM009)

S_ID	Disturbance.Type	Disturbance.Cause	EDTF
AM009	Domestic	Construction	..2004-12-31
AM009	Infrastructure/Transport	Clearance (Bulldozing/Levelling)	..2004-12-31
AM009	Hydrological	Construction	..2004-12-31
AM009	Development	Dumping	..2009-05-16
AM009	Natural	Water Action	..2009-05-16
AM009	Natural	Wind Action	..2009-05-16
AM009	Domestic	Construction	2011-06-10:2015-06-30
AM009	Military	Clearance (Bulldozing/Levelling)	2011-05-11:2015-06-30
AM009	Public	Occupation/Continued Use	..2011-06-10
AM009	Military	Explosion/Heavy Weaponry	..2015-06-30
AM009	Domestic	Construction	2016-09-25:2016-11-27
AM009	Agricultural/Pastoral	Trees	..2016-10-16
AM009	Looting	Excavation (Hand)	..2016-10-16
AM009	Agricultural/Pastoral	Grazing/Animal Movement	2017-02-20
AM009	Looting	Excavation (Hand)	2017-04-20:2018-02-07
AM009	Agricultural/Pastoral	Grazing/Animal Movement	2018-02-07

Tell Dapiq (AM009)

S_ID	Disturbance.Type	Disturbance.Cause	EDTF
AM009	Domestic	Construction	..2004-12-31
AM009	Infrastructure/Transport	Clearance (Bulldozing/Levelling)	..2004-12-31
AM009	Hydrological	Construction	..2004-12-31
AM009	Development	Dumping	..2009-05-16
AM009	Natural	Water Action	..2009-05-16
AM009	Natural	Wind Action	..2009-05-16
AM009	Domestic	Construction	2011-06-10:2015-06-30
AM009	Military	Clearance (Bulldozing/Levelling)	2011-05-11:2015-06-30
AM009	Public	Occupation/Continued Use	..2011-06-10
AM009	Military	Explosion/Heavy Weaponry	..2015-06-30
AM009	Domestic	Construction	2016-09-25:2016-11-27
AM009	Agricultural/Pastoral	Trees	..2016-10-16
AM009	Looting	Excavation (Hand)	..2016-10-16
AM009	Agricultural/Pastoral	Grazing/Animal Movement	2017-02-20
AM009	Looting	Excavation (Hand)	2017-04-20:2018-02-07
AM009	Agricultural/Pastoral	Grazing/Animal Movement	2018-02-07

Conclusion

EAMENA is a massive geo-web database that offers all the computing facilities to semantize its content and complies with open science and FAIR directives. EDTF time format is one of these iso-standards supported by the database. EAMENA can be connected to open source applications, and first of all to scripted routines. These latters facilitate the management of very large volumes of data within a framework compliant with high scientific standards. Cloud computing with shared graphical interfaces (programming consoles) or platforms like GitHub make it possible to share and co-develop entire or partial automated workflows (for example: to use RStudio Cloud to read and write in your Google Drive). This offers great opportunities to integrate the very large amount of EAMENA data into authoring frameworks for cultural heritage research and management.