1. CRMarchaeo Modelling Context, Stratigraphic Unit, Excavated Matter
CIDOC 2014
Chryssoula Bekiari
Center for Cultural Informatics,
Institute of Computer Science
Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas
Dresden
6-11 September 2014

2. Scope
Maximize interpretation capability after excavation or to continue excavation
To Reason on excavation (goals). What is the archaeological question?
Possible revision of knowledge after excavation
Comparing previous excavations on same site (space)
Enable all kinds of comprehensive statistical studies (“collective behaviour”)
The goal of this model is to provide the means to document excavations in such a way that the following functionality is supported:
Maximize interpretation capability after excavation or to continue excavation Reason of excavation (goals). What is the archaeological question?
Possibility of knowledge revision after excavation
Comparing previous excavations on same site (space)
All kinds of comprehensive statistical studies (“collective behavior”)

3. CRMarcheo Things E72 Legal Object E18 Physical Thing E70 Thing
S10 Material Substantial
S20 Physical Feature
A8 Stratigraphic Unit
A2 Stratigraphic Deposit Unit
A3 Stratigraphic Interface

4. CRMarcheo Temporal Entities
E2 Temporal Entity
A7 Embedding
S16 State
P9 consists of (forms part of)
E3 Condition
E4 Period
A5 Stratigraphic Modification Event
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis
S18 Alteration
E5 Event
S17 Physical Genesis
E11 Modification
E12 Production
E7 Activity
S1 Mater Removal
S2 Sample Taking
S3 Measurement by Sampling
E13 Attribute Assignment
A6 Group Declaration Event
S4 Observation
S21 Measurement
S19 Encounter Event
A1 Excavation Process Unit 4

5. Modelling stratigraphic units
A8 Stratigraphic Unit
A2 Stratigraphic Deposit Unit
A3 Stratigraphic Interface
Here it is a visualization of what we mean by Stratigraphic Unit
A2 stratigraphic deposit unit = connected portions or terrain or other structure with respect to other portions
A3 stratigraphic interface = boundary surface of one or more stratigraphic unit, It is possible to be due to a removal process.

6. Modelling stratigraphic units
A2 Stratigraphic Deposit Unit    comprises connected portions of terrain or other solid structure on, in, or under the surface of earth or seafloor exhibiting some homogeneity of structure or substance and completely bounded by surfaces or discontinuities in substance or structure with respect to other portions of the terrain or surfaces of objects/finds … may contain physical objects.
… can be attributed to a single genesis event or process and have the potential to be observed.
… is regarded to exist as long as a part of its matter is still in place with respect to a surrounding reference space
A3 Stratigraphic Interface comprises coherent parts of the boundary surface of one or more stratigraphic units, which appears as result of a common genesis event or process. In particular it may be due to a removal process, which may be part of the genesis process of a Stratigraphic Unit or not …confines (AP12) partly or completely the surface (A3 Stratigraphic Interface) of an A2 Stratigraphic Deposit Unit. One A3 Stratigraphic Interface may confine two or more A2 Stratigraphic Deposit Units.

7. physical relationships
Modelling stratigraphic units
A8 Stratigraphic Unit
AP11 has physical relation
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 37
above
above
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 34
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 36
above
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 35

8. temporal relationships Modelling Stratigraphic unit
A8 Stratigraphic Unit
AP13 has stratigraphic relation (is stratigraphic relation of)
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis
AP7 produced (was produced by)
AP14 justified by
AP11 has physical relation
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 37
above
above
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 34
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 36
above
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 35

9. temporal relationships Modelling Stratigraphic unit relationships
AP13 has stratigraphic relation (is stratigraphic relation of)
A8 Stratigraphic Unit
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis
AP7 produced (was produced by)
AP14 justified by
AP11 has physical relation
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis 37
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis 36
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis 34
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 37
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 36
above
above
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 34
above
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 35
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis 35

10. Reasoning on temporal relationships Modelling Stratigraphic unit relationships
AP13 has stratigraphic relation (is stratigraphic relation of)
A8 Stratigraphic Unit
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis
AP7 produced (was produced by)
AP14 justified by
AP11 has physical relation
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis 37
after
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis 36
after
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis 34
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 37
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 36
above
above
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 34
above
after
A8 Stratigraphic Unit 35
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis 35
Instance of

11. Stratigraphic Genesis
S18 Alteration
E7 Activity
AP13 has stratigraphic relation
S17 Physical Genesis
A5 Stratigraphic Modification Event
A1 Excavation Process Unit
A process resulting in the displacement of a limited amount of matter which has settled into a relatively stable form
AP1 produced
AP9 took matter from
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis
S10 Material Substantial
S20 Physical Feature
AP7 produced
S11 Amount of Matter
AP8 disturbed
AP10 is part of
A4 Stratigraphic Genesis
A process resulting in the displacement of a limited amount of matter which has settled into a relatively stable form, often a deposition, consisting of homogeneous parts. Typology of processes.
AP11 has physical relation
A8 Stratigraphic Unit
A9 Segment of Matter
AP24 is or contains remains of
A2 Stratigraphic Deposit Unit
A3 Stratigraphic Interface
E18 Physical Thing
AP12 is confined by

12. A1 Excavation Process Unit
…comprises activities of excavating in the sense of archaeology which are documented as a coherent set of actions of progressively recording and removing matter from a pre-specified location under specific rules. …would be terminated if significant discontinuities of substance or finds come to light, or if the activity should be interrupted due to external factors, such as end of a working day… the termination would be based on predefined physical specifications, … the boundaries of a maximal volume of matter intended to be excavated in one unit of excavation. …may intend to remove matter only within the boundaries of a particular stratigraphic unit, or it may follow a pre-declared spatial extent such as a trench. …may only uncover, clean or expose a structure or parts of it. …results in the production of a set of recorded (documentation) data …sufficient to provide researchers enough information regarding the consistence and spatial distribution of the excavated Segment of Matter and things and features embedded in it..
A1 Excavation Process Unit
Scope Note:
This class comprises activities of excavating in the sense of archaeology which are documented as a coherent set of actions of progressively recording and removing matter from a pre-specified location under specific rules.
Typically, an excavation process unit would be terminated if significant discontinuities of substance or finds come to light, or if the activity should be interrupted due to external factors, such as end of a working day. In other cases, the termination would be based on predefined physical specifications, such as the boundaries of a maximal volume of matter intended to be excavated in one unit of excavation.
Depending on the methodology, an instance of A1 Excavation Process Unit may intend to remove matter only within the boundaries of a particular stratigraphic unit, or it may follow a pre-declared spatial extent such as a trench. It may only uncover, clean or expose a structure or parts of it.
The process of excavation results in the production of a set of recorded (documentation) data that should be sufficient to provide researchers enough information regarding the consistence and spatial distribution of the excavated Segment of Matter and things and features embedded in it. Some parts or all of the removed physical material (S11 Amount of Matter) may be dispersed, whereas others may be kept in custody in the form of finds or samples, while others (such as parts of walls) may be left at the place of their discovery.
The data produced by an instance of excavation process unit should pertain to the material state of matter at excavation time only and should well be distinguished from subsequent interpretation about the causes for this state of matter.

13. Excavation Process Unit
E29 Design or Procedure
P9 consists of (forms part of)
E55 Type
planned area
E7 Activity
technique
P32 used general technique
P67 refers to
P33 used specific technique
E55 Type
for drawings before excavating
about where to excavate
methodology
E53 Place
P32 used general technique
AP3 excavated
3D excavated area
E55 Type
A1 Excavation Process Unit
P125 used object of type
AP21 occupied
P13 destroyed
tools
segment of Matter that happened
to be at the excavated place
P21 had general purpose
A9 Segment of Matter
E55 Type
AP5 cut
“find Solomon’s Temple”
S10 Material Substantial
A8 Stratigraphic Unit
AP6 intended to approximate
P17 was motivated by
AP4 produced surface
An Excavation process unit can be considered as a coherent set of actions of progressively recording and removing matter from a pre-specified location under specific rules.
Typically, an excavation process unit would be terminated if significant discontinuities of substance or finds come to light, or if the activity should be interrupted due to external factors, such as end of a working day. In other cases, the termination would be based on predefined physical specifications, such as the boundaries of a maximal volume of matter intended to be excavated in one unit of excavation.
Depending on the methodology, an instance of A1 Excavation Process Unit may intend to remove matter only within the boundaries of a particular stratigraphic unit, or it may follow a pre-declared spatial extent such as a trench. It may only uncover, clean or expose a structure or parts of it.
The process of excavation results in the production of a set of recorded (documentation) data that should be sufficient to provide researchers enough information regarding the consistence and spatial distribution of the excavated Segment of Matter and things and features embedded in it. Some parts or all of the removed physical material (S11 Amount of Matter) may be dispersed, whereas others may be kept in custody in the form of finds or samples, while others (such as parts of walls) may be left at the place of their discovery.
The data produced by an instance of excavation process unit should pertain to the material state of matter at excavation time only and should well be distinguished from subsequent interpretation about the causes for this state of matter.
Properties:
AP1 produced (was produced by): S11 Amount of Matter
AP2 discarded into (was discarded by): S11 Amount of Matter
The A1 Excavation process Unit excavated the Place whose extent and Posistion is defined by the spatial projection of the spatiotemporal extent of a real world phenomenon. AP3 excavated (was excavated by): E53 Place
AP4 produced surface (was surface produced by): S20 Physical Feature
AP5 cut (was cut by): A8 Stratigraphic Unit
AP6 intended to approximate (was approximated by): A3 Stratigraphic Interface
AP10 destroyed (was destroyed by): S22 Segment of Matter (Segment of Matter that happened to be at the Excavated Place)
P9 consists of (forms part of): S19 Encounter Event
P17 was motivated by (motivated): E55 Type (research question)
P21 had general purpose (was purpose of): E55 Type (“find Solomon’s Temple”)
P32 used general technique (was technique of): E55 Type (methodology)
P32 used general technique (was technique of): E55 Type (technique)
P33 used specific technique (was used by): E29 Design or Procedure (for drawings before excavating about where to excavate)
P125 used object of type (was type of object used in): E55 Type (tools)
AP1 produced
AP2 discarded into
A3 Stratigraphic Interface
E73 Information Object
E26 Physical Feature
preserved part or
total of matter
research question
“surface”
P9 consists of
S11 Amount of Matter
S11 Amount of Matter
S40 Encounter Event
“a basket”
“a heap”

14. Document “in situ” findings A7 Embedding
P9 consists of (forms part of)
A1 Excavation Process Unit
E5 Event
P9 consists of
comprises the states of E18 Physical Things during their complete or partial embedding in one or more A2 Stratigraphic Deposit Units.
E3 Condition State
“positioning”
S19 Encounter Event
AP17 is found by
“state, refinement of position”
AP15 has found object
A7 Embedding
AP18 is embedding of
AP20 is embedding at
AP19 is embedding in
When we want to document the finding and the positioning of an object in a certain position in the ground
E18 Physical Thing ->AP18 is embedding of (is embedded) ->A7 Embedding -> AP19 is embedding in (contains embedding) -> A2 Stratigraphic Deposit Unit (surrounding matter)
E18 Physical Thing
E53 Place
A2 Stratigraphic Deposit Unit
“the Physical Object has a position at least
up to the point of discovery”
“found at a place”

15. Conclusions
CRM Sci provides a comprehensive model for observation metadata regardless science and method.
CRMArchaeo allows for a common representation of archaeological records and survey data, widely independent of local methodology.
Still to be done: Specializations into analytical methods and reference data sets.
Links: CRMarchaeo will be available soon at