Impact Factor : 5.750 
PAPER ID: IJIM/Vol. 3 (VII) November 2018/5-8/2
AUTHOR: Suma V
TITLE: USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH: AN OVERVIEW
ABSTRACT: The current era is characterized by a technological revolution, marked by the rise of social networks, virtual communities, 3D environments, digital applications, and immersive collaborative games. These advancements have the potential to transform our worldview and alter the methods by which information is disseminated and communicated. The transition of society towards innovative technologies has significantly eased the adoption of tools such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Photogrammetry in fields like archaeology, which previously faced considerable challenges in integrating such advancements. In recent years, archaeologists have started to utilize cutting-edge technologies to enhance their excavation efforts. These include 3D imaging techniques (such as LiDAR and both mobile and terrestrial 3D scanners), Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), and photogrammetry, along with 3D visualization methods (both virtual and augmented reality) for displaying archaeological sites in either three-dimensional or two-dimensional formats. A significant benefit of modern technologies is the rapidly improving capabilities and user-friendliness relative to cost, which motivates archaeologists to explore the burgeoning field of Digital Archaeology. This paper provides an overview of advanced technologies that can aid archaeologists during the excavation process and highlights relevant projects. Additionally, it reviews the existing literature on applications, tools, and software designed for direct use in the excavation field (in situ) to document, manage, and integrate archaeological information, as well as to enhance the exchange, accessibility, and interoperability of scientific data. We are confident that this review will be particularly beneficial for emerging researchers in Digital Archaeology, as it consolidates essential insights from the scientific literature.
KEYWORDS: History, Archeology, Research in Archeology, History and research, Technology, Information technology, Use of IT in archeology
