The information system of archaeological collections at the Institute of History, Tallinn University

Mari-Liis Posti

The information system of archaeological collections at the Institute of History, Tallinn University was established to manage archaeological collections according to the specific characteristics of the collections.

The Institute of History manages the collection of archaeological artefact findings, osteological findings and archaeological reference archives. This is the largest archaeological research collection in Estonia. The information system is a MySQL relational database, which enables both the general public and researchers gain access to the archives. A simple search for public use is available at www.arheoloogia.ee, while advanced search options are available for registered users, such as archive workers, researchers, officials of the National Heritage Board, students, local historians and enthusiasts with a specific interest in the institute’s archaeological collections. The search results can be saved as .csv or .xls files. The general public has also access to the bibliography of Estonian archaeology at bib.arheoloogia.ee.

Our next objective will be the elaboration of public access to the database and developing a module which would enable users to cross-search also other archaeology databases.