Design of a Computer-based Frame to Store, Manage, and Divulge Information from Underwater Archaeological Excavations: the Pepper Wreck Case

In recent years archaeologists have been using a variety of computing technology to speed up research and make information much easier to access, manipulate, and analyze. I propose a Digital Library framework that will assist nautical archaeologists in their research work, enhancing the dissemination of archaeological findings and seafaring related information to the general public. In this essay I will attempt to outline the main characteristics and goals of my approach, which is based on a National Science Foundation grant for the creation of the Nautical Archaeology Digital Library. Introduction For millennia seafaring has been an important activity that not only enabled traveling and trading, but also generated the exchange of ideas, ways of life, and knowledge among people from a variety of races, cultures, religions, traditions, and geographies. This exchange in turn, influenced people’s lives and facilitated advancements in science and technology that had otherwise not been possible. Several aspects played key roles in the development of seafaring; an obvious one is shipbuilding technology. Enhancements in design and construction of ships made it possible to build bigger, safer, and faster vessels.