Online: MedArchNet

The Mediterranean Archaeological Network (MedArchNet) is a series of linked archaeological information nodes, each of which contains a regional database of archaeological sites that share a common database structure in order to facilitate rapid query and information retrieval and display within and across nodes in the network.

The Mediterranean Archaeology Network or MedArchNet is one of the first attempts to create 'Portal Science' for archaeologists and the interested public. Consequently, a major goal of MedArchNet is to make archaeological data from the Mediterranean lands accessible to various communities, including school teachers, tourists and travel agents, university students and professors, researchers, and public policy makers. MedArchNet taps into the fast-growing field of 'portal science' and will serve researchers and explorers as a platform for international collaboration, while also allowing the general public to share in the excitement of archaeology and discovery. Various portals will be used by these communities. Archaeological data will be accessed and displayed over the Internet through existing tools such as Google Maps/Google Earth and emerging visualization technologies such as Calit2's HIPerSpace large-format display systems suitable for museum and other public display environments. A key component in this regard is user access to the data using smartphones. Interested individuals could download content about particular cultural heritage sites in MedArchNet on their cell phone in preparation for visiting a site, or while actually there. To date, our most advanced atlas node is DAAHL - the Digital Archaeology Atlas of the Holy Land.