Dissemination in archaeology: a GIS-based StoryMap for Chan Chan

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of exploiting a geographic information system (GIS)-based data management, designed and implemented for an important monumental site. In particular, data collected during the years have been used to create a storytelling experience to disseminate the tangible and intangible heritage of Chan Chan (Peru), the wider site in mud bricks of Latin America. Design/methodology/approach The paper discusses the steps that have been performed to use the data stored in a GIS, arguing over the importance of sharing the knowledge through web-based tools, and in particular by the implementation of a storytelling. In this context, the data were structured in interoperable forms in order to preserve the universal value of the archaeological site. The exploitation in an all-in-one solution of the archival research, field surveys and planning represents a step forward for let known ancient testimonies to the whole mankind. Findings The GIS-based inventories represent the backbone for an affordable management of heritage resources. The novelty of the proposed approach lies on the creation of an integrated, accessible and updatable data system sharable on web. Originality/value The GIS of Chan Chan is an example of documentation of a wide archaeological area (14 km2) with complex and heterogeneous data. The developed web tool makes use of these data which can be queried even by non-expert users. The pipeline of this paper can act as useful guidelines to practitioners and researchers who want to disseminate cultural information.

The Geo-Cultural Heritage of Kos Revisited: Web-GIS Applications and Storytelling Promoting the Well-Known Island of Dodecanese, Greece

“…The use of a WebGIS platform that allows the viewer to observe the overall distribution and arrangement of the available information in different scientific domains related to the study area is an added value compared to an unconnected dissemination. In addition, storytelling with maps, text and multimedia content has helped to disseminate data and information to all stakeholders in a visually engaging way, as shown by examples used to promote archaeology (e.g., [46,47]) or to enhance educational process (e.g.,…”

“…The use of a WebGIS platform that allows the viewer to observe the overall distribution and arrangement of the available information in different scientific domains related to the study area is an added value compared to an unconnected dissemination. In addition, storytelling with maps, text and multimedia content has helped to disseminate data and information to all stakeholders in a visually engaging way, as shown by examples used to promote archaeology (e.g., [46,47]) or to enhance educational process (e.g., [48,49]). Story maps offer more interactivity compared to classic maps, allowing users to interact with and use the map to visualize the content of interest from different perspectives, while the narrative facilitates the transformation of data into information and eventually knowledge [14,50].…”

Preservation of Villages in Central Italy: Geomatic Techniques’ Integration and GIS Strategies for the Post-Earthquake Assessment

“…GIS platforms are containers for spatial information which, when properly managed, lead to the creation of query-able data systems, up to the creation of cartographic products at different territorial scales (e.g., geo-environmental maps) and for different purposes (e.g., thematic maps). The literature presents a plethora of works exploiting GIS for several domains, including private/public gardens [13], spatial analysis [14], decision making [15], and photovoltaic plants [16,17]. In other words, GIS allows visualising, combining, and managing heterogeneous data from different acquisition techniques sensor network sources, insomuch warranting data sharing and interoperability [18].…”

Integrating Digital Datasets into Public Engagement through ArcGIS StoryMaps

“…Overall, ArcGIS StoryMaps can be an effective tool for education and digital engagement for any number of public outreach projects (Antoniou et al 2018; Cope et al 2018; Kallaher and Gamble 2017; Strachan and Mitchell 2014). Within archaeology, however, StoryMaps has been the subject of only limited use despite the application's apparent suitability for archaeological storytelling (Alemy et al 2017; Amico 2019; Malinverni et al 2019). We aim to consider the viability of StoryMaps for archaeological public outreach and ultimately suggest that the platform can be a powerful tool for archaeologists, primarily based on three main characteristics that recommend its use to scholars interested in digital storytelling in a hypermedia or deep mapping context: its ease of use, its compatibility with many different types of datasets, and its interactivity.…”