Refleksjoner rundt ny teknologi som supplement til etablert praksis

Abstract

The Norwegian University museums responsibility and practice related to recording and documenting cultural heritage sites and archaeological objects, require solid management. Technologies, tools and methods that have emerged during the last 10-20 years demand new strategies of documentation as well as robust infrastructures. Digital transformations within archaeology, a profession based on material culture, require awareness of the nature of the technologies and possible impact on the epistemology of archaeology. At the Museum of Archaeology, University of Stavanger, we experience that innovative technologies affect our workflow, methodological development and data management strategies. Introducing state of the art tools as supplement to previous approaches might introduce new dimensions and perspectives, but our use of any tool, method or technology should be reasoned by its potential for additional learning and information. Recent practice of 3D-documentation of rock art in the county of Rogaland raises both challenges and new possibilities. Up to date-equipment might benefit research, but emergent technologies could impact our practice in unforeseen directions.