Duration: 18:26

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Charalampos Georgakis, George Pavlidis, Christina Papageorgopoulou

"Over the last decades, investigations into archaeological human remains have surged globally, driven by the proliferation of methods and novel techniques for discerning biological and pathological traits. This influx of information has been pivotal in advancing the scientific domain of Osteoarchaeology.

Despite this progress, the use of a wide and diverse range of recording methods encountered in the existing literature,  limits the opportunity to further utilize published data for comparative purposes or potential meta-analyses that can contribute to a deeper understanding of past populations. Various forms and, later, databases have been created for the standardized recording of osteological data, each exhibiting distinct strengths and weaknesses concerning aspects like open access, customization, covering researcher’s needs and data storage.

Advocating the transformative influence of Osteoarchaeology and its transition into the digital realm, this study underscores the significance of using a local, European and possibly global standardized resource for recording and sharing macroscopic data, as well as results from biochemical analyses on archaeological human skeletal remains.
To achieve that, the study outlines the scientific and technical requirements for the creation of a web-based input platform tailored for the meticulous recording of morphological features, pathological conditions, and other essential data points, based on bibliographic research and unstructured interviews with fellow osteoarchaeologists in Greece.

Lastly the study also introduces the conceptual working interface that has been specifically designed for deployment within an Osteoarchaeology laboratory and shares insights on the next steps for the development of a platform that could contribute to standardized data collection, subsequent data sharing, and the integration of digital tools."