• Is Big Digital Data Different? Towards a New Archaeological Paradigm

    Author(s):
    Jeremy Huggett (see profile)
    Date:
    2020
    Subject(s):
    Archaeology, Archaeology--Data processing
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    Big Data, Data analysis, Digital archaeology
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/vz9q-ra45
    Abstract:
    Archaeological data is always incomplete, frequently unreliable, often replete with unknown unknowns, but we nevertheless make the best of what we have and use it to build our theories and extrapolations about past events. Is there any reason to think that digital data alter this already complicated relationship with archaeological data? How does the shift to an infinitely more flexible, fluid digital medium change the character of our data and our use of it? The introduction of Big Data is frequently said to herald a new epistemological paradigm, but what are the implications of this for archaeology? As we are increasingly subject to algorithmic agency, how can we best manage this new data regime? This paper seeks to unpick the nature of digital data and its use within a Big Data environment as a prerequisite to rational and appropriate digital data analysis in archaeology, and proposes a means towards developing a more reflexive, contextual approach to Big Data.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Published as:
    Journal article     Show details
    Pub. DOI:
    10.1080/00934690.2020.1713281
    Publisher:
    Informa UK Limited
    Pub. Date:
    2020-2-12
    Journal:
    Journal of Field Archaeology
    Volume:
    45
    Issue:
    sup1
    Page Range:
    S8 - S17
    ISSN:
    0093-4690,2042-4582
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    4 years ago
    License:
    Attribution
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