Archaeology Data Service

Archaeology Data Service This is the official page of the Archaeology Data Service.

We are back celebrating 30 years of the ADS, and this week we are focusing on some of our key projects and achievements ...
07/09/2026

We are back celebrating 30 years of the ADS, and this week we are focusing on some of our key projects and achievements over the years, starting with the Heritage Science Data Service!

In late 2024 the ADS was thrilled to announce the launch of the Heritage Science Data Service. Through investment from RICHeS: Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science, the HSDS provides core digital research services that unlock potential for innovation in heritage science and conservation research.

The HSDS is developed by the ADS in partnership with STFC Hartree Centre, and supported by a consortium of key UK heritage bodies.

Over the last two years, the HSDS has established:
🌟An accredited and FAIR digital repository that preserves and provides access to critical heritage science data
🌟The HSDS Catalogue of Services - allowing user to discover heritage science facilities
🌟The HSDS Data Catalogue - allowing users to explore open access heritage science and conservation datasets and records
🌟In collaboration with STFC Hartree Centre, a suite of Virtual Research Environments (VREs)
🌟The HSDS Grants Programme

HSDS Service Manager Jo Tozer notes: "It has been a privilege to help lay the groundwork for the Heritage Science Data Service from day one, and I'm looking forward to seeing the transformative impact our services will have on improving access to heritage science data and empowering researchers and organisations to promote and discover scientific research collections, facilities and tools to advance the preservation and understanding of UK heritage."

👉 To find out more about the HSDS and how you can benefit from our services visit: https://hsds.ac.uk/

Take a look in our comments for more projects and achievements from the last 30 we would like to highlight this week!

ADS turns 30!2026 marks our 30th anniversary! To mark this milestone, we'll be highlighting 30 things that have stood ou...
31/08/2026

ADS turns 30!

2026 marks our 30th anniversary! To mark this milestone, we'll be highlighting 30 things that have stood out in the last 30 years.

The decision to create the ADS was made by a consortium of UK stakeholders, all dedicated to preserving our digital heritage data. The ADS was officially launched on 1 October 1996 (two years before Google!) with the mission to preserve, catalogue, and describe digital data generated in the course of archaeological research and to facilitate its reuse. Initial funding was a £216,000 commission from the Arts and Humanities Data Service to establish a data service for archaeology.

Director Julian Richards notes: “In 1996 not everyone thought ADS would survive but 30 years later, and with the help of many friends and supporters, and the work of many talented and dedicated staff we are stronger than ever”.

This week we want to focus on some of the things fundamental to the creation and success of the ADS. Take a look in our comments to read more!

📢 Ingest training is back and is now open for booking!Four months on from the launch of Ingest, we're kicking off a new ...
13/08/2026

📢 Ingest training is back and is now open for booking!

Four months on from the launch of Ingest, we're kicking off a new programme of free online training sessions running from August through to December 2026. Whether you're yet to make your first deposit or you're ready to go deeper, there's a session designed for you.

Find out more here: https://buff.ly/AA1VWuo

🔹 Introduction to Ingest (1.5 hours)
New to Ingest? This session covers everything you need to know — from an overview of the system to a hands-on walkthrough of the deposit process. No prior experience required.

Dates: 27 Aug / 17 Sep / 15 Oct / 5 Nov / 10 Dec

🔹 Ingest in Practice (1.5 hours)
Already completed the intro? This follow-on session focuses on completing metadata templates and managing complex, multi-phased projects. Through realistic practice scenarios, you'll leave ready to handle any deposit.

Dates: 3 Sep / 24 Sep / 22 Oct / 26 Nov / 17 Dec

All sessions are free and take place online. Book online now!

👉 Training page: https://buff.ly/9BqsqTv
👉 Eventbrite: https://buff.ly/y8p5Hzm

⭐ CATS Week 2026⭐ This July, our curatorial and technical staff took a break from archiving to discuss the major infrast...
11/08/2026

⭐ CATS Week 2026⭐

This July, our curatorial and technical staff took a break from archiving to discuss the major infrastructure changes in the last year.

From the launch of Ingest to the first HSDS data sets, we’ve been adapting our procedures to address these changes and to improve our workflows even further.

👉 To find out more in our latest blog, written by Olivia Foster visit: https://buff.ly/acavBU5

📸 Image of paining under normal light, then with X-ray revealing painting of a woman underneath. Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales (2026) Conservation Data from 'Dolbadarn Castle' by Wilson, 1996 to 2025 [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service

📸 Image of paining under normal light, then with X-ray revealing painting of a woman underneath. Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales (2026) Conservation Data from 'Dolbadarn Castle' by Wilson, 1996 to 2025 [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service

30/07/2026

📢 New Guide to Good Practice: A Guide to Personal Data in Archaeological Archives

We're pleased to announce the publication of the latest addition to our long-running Guides to Good Practice series!

Since GDPR was introduced, archaeology has had to adapt how it creates, manages and shares data. This new Guide resolves common misunderstandings around GDPR, drawing on the experience of data creators, managers and digital archivists. It offers practical advice for anyone working with archaeological data, including how to tell whether data is personal or sensitive (or both), and how this should shape handling across different roles.

Developed in collaboration between the Archaeology Data Service and UCL Institute of Archaeology, as part of the TETRARCHs project.

👉 Find out more here: https://buff.ly/7N1c7BF

📖 Read the Guide here, free and open access:
https://buff.ly/boS4Ig9

⭐ New Blog Post Alert⭐ We are halfway through the CBA Festival of Archaeology, an event aimed at widening the appeal of...
28/07/2026

⭐ New Blog Post Alert⭐

We are halfway through the CBA Festival of Archaeology, an event aimed at widening the appeal of archaeology.

This weeks blog post, written by Dr Richard Lee, celebrates the occasion by highlighting some of the Community Archaeology collections that we hold in our archives to illustrate the breadth of public and volunteer activity across the UK.

Highlights include :

🪨 Hadrian's Wall Community Archaeology Project
🌳 The ACCORD Project
🗺️ Through the Keyhole
🏰 Castle Donington Community College
🏺 Pontefract Castle

This blog post also details how the AD Scan offer a venue for community research, making it accessible to the wider heritage community.

To find out more visit: https://buff.ly/75lqKQa

⭐ We're Hiring! ⭐We are excited to announce that we are looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate (Assyriology).The ...
24/07/2026

⭐ We're Hiring! ⭐

We are excited to announce that we are looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate (Assyriology).

The main purpose of this role will be to take a leading part in our project "Cuneiform in Translation: Arabic" with the responsibility to increase access to Sumerian literature, Akkadian classics, and other texts through translations to Arabic from the original languages. This will be completed using the infrastructure of the Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative and in collaboration with the larger team of the research programme Towards Universal Access to Cuneiform Heritage, an ambitious endeavour to transform access to cuneiform heritage through digital tools and multilingual outreach.

Full-time, fixed term from 8 September 2026 until 7 September 2027. Grade 6, £37,694 to £42,254 a year. Based at The Guildhall, York.

Apply by 06.08.2026

To find out more about the role and apply, visit: https://buff.ly/lVt77X6

We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented at the University.

We offer family-friendly, flexible working arrangements, with forums and inclusive facilities to support our staff.

Translation below:

نحن نوظّف!
يسرّنا أن نعلن أننا نبحث عن باحث ما بعد الدكتوراه في الآشوريات (Postdoctoral Research Associate, Assyriology).
يتمثل الهدف الرئيسي لهذه الوظيفة في الاضطلاع بدورٍ رائد في مشروعنا «الكتابة المسمارية في الترجمة: العربية»، وذلك من خلال العمل على توسيع إتاحة الأدب السومري والكلاسيكيات الأكدية وغيرها من النصوص عبر ترجمتها إلى اللغة العربية مباشرةً من لغاتها الأصلية.
سيتم تنفيذ هذا العمل باستخدام البنية التحتية الخاصة بـ مبادرة المكتبة الرقمية للكتابة المسمارية (Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative)، بالتعاون مع الفريق الكبير لبرنامج البحث "نحو إتاحة عالمية للتراث المسماري"؛ وهو مشروع طموح يهدف إلى إحداث تحول في الوصول إلى التراث المسماري من خلال الأدوات الرقمية والتواصل متعدد اللغات.
وظيفة بدوام كامل بعقد محدد المدة، من 8 سبتمبر 2026 حتى 7 سبتمبر 2027. الدرجة 6، براتب سنوي يتراوح بين 37,694 و42,254 جنيهًا إسترلينيًا. مقر العمل: The Guildhall، يورك.
آخر موعد للتقديم: 06.08.2026
للمزيد من المعلومات حول هذه الوظيفة وكيفية التقديم، يرجى زيارة الرابط التالي: https://buff.ly/lVt77X6
نشجّع بشكل خاص المتقدمين من ذوي الأصول الإفريقية أو الآسيوية أو من خلفيات عرقية أقليّة، والذين لا يزال تمثيلهم محدودًا في الجامعة.
كما نوفر بيئة عمل مرنة وصديقة للأسرة، إلى جانب منصّات ومرافق شاملة وداعمة تهدف إلى دعم موظفينا وتعزيز بيئة عملٍ متكاملة للجميع.

⭐ New Blog Post Alert ⭐ Last month Archivists Burcu Aksahin and Marco Brunello, had the opportunity to represent the ADS...
23/07/2026

⭐ New Blog Post Alert ⭐

Last month Archivists Burcu Aksahin and Marco Brunello, had the opportunity to represent the ADS and HSDS at the second ATRIUM Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) held in Athens, Greece.

The event explored Research Spotlight, an automated, ontology-driven workflow, along with sessions on understanding existing data, guided coding, and future developments.

To find out more visit: https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/blog/the-ads-at-the-second-atrium-mutual-learning-exercise-in-athens/

🌳 The Festival of Archaeology 2026 is here! 🌳 This year's theme, Archaeology and Nature, explores the connections betwee...
21/07/2026

🌳 The Festival of Archaeology 2026 is here! 🌳

This year's theme, Archaeology and Nature, explores the connections between people, landscapes, and the natural world across thousands of years.

One of the ways we are celebrating this year is with our new self-guided walking route around Ilkley Moor, one of Britain's richest prehistoric rock art landscapes. Developed with the Friends of Ilkley Moor and drawing on England's Rock Art Archive, the walk combines stunning scenery with practical guides, helping you explore the archaeology of this remarkable landscape.

To find out more or download the walking guide, visit the Festival of Archaeology Resource Page or visit: https://buff.ly/QNptUoP



📸 Images courtesy of Andy Savage and Barry Wilkinson via the Friends of Ilkley Moor

📖 Between the Fictional and Real Archive 💿️ The stereotype of dust covered archives as an indication of the passage of t...
16/07/2026

📖 Between the Fictional and Real Archive 💿️

The stereotype of dust covered archives as an indication of the passage of time or as a physical representation of a societies memory and history can be seen throughout media. From popular novels, to video games and film archives are depicted as restricted areas or an obstacle to be overcome.

The focus of this weeks blog post by Digital Archives Assistant Leonora Fane-Saunders, focuses on the how closely work at the ADS mirrors this depiction of archives. To read the full blog post visit: https://buff.ly/GzLEVYF

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