The Digital Archive Network for Anthropology and World Heritage (DANA-WH):
Current Content and Future Potentials.
James E. Landrum III*[1], Jeffrey T. Clark*[2], Aaron Bergstrom*[3],
Brian M. Slator**[4], Richard Frovarp**[5], Ryan Kranitz**[6], and William Perrizo**[7]
Archaeology Technologies Laboratory (ATL),
North Dakota State University (NDSU),
Department of Sociology and Anthropology*
Minard Hall 402, PO Box 5075 SU Station
and
Department of Computer Science**
IACC 258, PO Box 5164 SU Station
Fargo, North Dakota, USA 58105
Abstract:
The Digital Archive Network for Anthropology and World Heritage (DANA-WH) is a distributed
database and archive network system developed by the Archaeology Technologies Laboratory (ATL),
North Dakota State University. DANA is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), National
SMETE (Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Technology for Education) Digital Library (NSDL)
program, and constitutes a Digital Library collection for biological and cultural heritage oriented content.
The real and future potential of DANA-WH as a scholarly research tool and educational resource is
demonstrated by the current resource content. DANA-WH content currently includes textual (e.g., metric
and non-metric attributes of artifacts) data warehoused in databases and multimedia (e.g., twodimensional (2D) images and three-dimensional (3D) models) files stored in graphics servers. The
collection is unique in it's assemblage of highly accurate 3D models of fragile and rare artifacts.
Resources currently accessible via the DANA-WH application include assemblages from the Three
Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara) of North Dakota, Samoan stone, shell, and coral tools,
Fijian stone tools and ceramics, and ceramics from India.
Proceedings of the Fifth World Archaeology Congress (WAC5),
Archaeology in the Digital Age Theme, Session on Digital Archives and Access.
American University, Washington, DC.
June 21-27, 2003.
[1] James Landrum; ATL Database Manager; email: <james.landrum@ndsu.nodak.edu>; phone: 01-701-231-7115
[2] Jeffrey T. Clark, Ph.D. ATL Director, PI; email: <jeffrey.clark@ndsu.nodak.edu>; phone: 01-701-231-6434/8921
[3] Aaron Bergstrom, ATL Visualization Manager; email: <aaron.bergstrom@ndsu.nodak.edu>; phone: 01-701-231-6434
[4} Brian M. Slator, Ph.D. Co-PI; email: <slator@web.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu>; phone: 01-701-231-6124
[5] Richard Frovarp, ATL Lead Programmer; email: <richard.frovarp@ndsu.nodak.edu>; phone: 01-701-231-6434
[6] Ryan Kranitz, ATL Programmer; email: <ryan.kranitz@ndsu.nodak.edu>; phone: 01-701-231-6434
[7] William Perrizo, Co-PI <perrizo@web.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu>; 01-701-231-7248
ATL FAX: 01-701-231-1047; URLs: http://atl.ndsu.edu; http://www.dana-wh.net
The Digital Archive Network for Anthropology and World Heritage
In November 2001, the Archaeology Technologies Laboratory (ATL; http://atl.ndsu.edu) at North
Dakota State University (NDSU) received funding from the NSF Division of Undergraduate Education
(DUE), National Science Digital Libraries (NSDL) program, for a two-year project designed to create and
implement a Digital Archive Network for Anthropology (DANA; NSF-DUE Award #0121709). This
network is a federation of distributed, interoperable databases, each with specific content of value to
anthropology. With the realization that a network such as DANA could grow larger than first conceived,
the scope of its content grew in our conception. We realized that the content should not come just from
the discipline of anthropological archaeology, but from all domains that have as their focus the study of
cultural and biological human heritage, That scope is extended beyond the subfields of anthropology
(archaeology, linguistics, cultural, and biological anthropology) to include fields such as classical
archaeology and classical studies, history (including various subfields), geography, and other facets of
cultural heritage. This includes expanding the content beyond data provided by US-based institutions to
include a range of content from international participants (e.g., India, Italy, and elsewhere). As a result,
DANA was enlarged in name as well as content, and is now the Digital Archive Network for
Anthropology and World Heritage (DANA-WH; http://www.dana-wh.net). DANA-WH is also accessible
through the NSDL portal (http://nsdl.org) and the ATL Web page ( http://atl.ndsu.edu/archive/).
DANA-WH differs from other digital heritage archives; in addition to textual and two-dimensional
(2D) graphical (digital photos, sketches, maps, plan views, etc.) content, it includes accurate, threedimensional (3D) models of material objects (e.g., artifacts and fossils). The 3D models are surrogates of
the real objects. They can be variously manipulated to be viewed from all angles, and they are sufficiently
precise to allow for a wide range of detailed measurements and analyses. The ATL has developed a
customized 3D viewer for DANA-WH that includes virtual tools that enable users to take and record
measurements of the 3D objects for individual research and analysis or group studies (e.g. virtual
laboratory and classroom settings).
This online, distributed network of anthropological and world heritage resources allows reliable,
“anytime, anywhere" access to content and services. DANA-WH is a valuable learning resource
accessible by users at all levels, from K-12, to undergraduate, post-graduate, domain specialist, and
lifelong learners, as well as general audiences. Users can take advantage of the digital library for formal
research, as an educational resource, or simply to satisfy curiosity. Biological and cultural heritage
resources that are now housed at museums and educational institutions worldwide can be made available
easily and inexpensively to many researchers with diverse research agendas, thereby significantly
reducing inequalities of access to research and teaching resources around the country, and the globe,
while at the same time providing a mechanism for digital preservation of heritage resources.
DANA-WH is a potentially diverse resource and presents a viable digital solution to problems
related to human heritage education and research. Prior to launching into specific discussions about
DANA-WH, it is important to understand the place, role, and promise of digital libraries within and
beyond the professional heritage community.
The Need for Digital Libraries: Access to, and Preservation, of Heritage Resources.
Preservation of the biological and material culture remains of the past is essential for developing an
understanding of human history, prehistory, and biological evolution. Access to those remains for both
scholarly study and public appreciation is also of paramount importance for an informed society.
Unfortunately, access and preservation are subject to several potential problems (Clark et al. 2002a,
2002b; Ross et al. 2003).
Museums, libraries, and other curatorial institutions across the globe are facing a developing “Crisis
in Curation” (Bustard 2002; Childs 1995, 2001; CRM 2000; Kraniewicz 1999; NPS 2000; Stankowski
1998; Thompson 2000) owing to a widespread backlog in cataloging and accessioning of the objects
reflecting human biological and cultural heritage, as well as a critical shortage of curation space.
Typically, collections curators are able to display only a fraction of their actual holdings to the public at
any given time, so vast numbers of objects are seldom (if ever) exhibited. In the context of “exhibit
quality” objects, curators are often forced to set higher criteria for prioritizing objects for display, than
they might otherwise do if considerations regarding space availability were less significant. As will be
shown below, digital display technologies provide a solution to this problem; e.g., computer kiosks have
potential to display a large number of digital surrogates of the original objects in museum spaces.
There is also a problem of unequal access to research and teaching collections, which are typically
housed at major universities and museums and may not be easily accessible by outside researchers or the
public. The most important, interesting, and/or fragile objects of human heritage are sometimes not
displayed due to security and preservation concerns, and they are seldom, if ever, are transported to other
countries for display or research. This is not surprising given the fact that repeated handling of fragile or
culturally sensitive materials may not be permissible, or advisable. Travel to repositories can be costly
and difficult, and is generally not an option for many people around the world. This is particularly
problematic for individuals with disabilities who are not able to travel to repositories, and who may have
the additional disadvantage of not being physically able to manipulate objects that may be heavy,
awkward, or fragile. Efforts at inter-institutional and international collaborative work on objects are
hindered by the fact that only one institution can hold the physical object at any one time, thus requiring
that researchers travel far from home and remain at remote locations for extended periods to conduct their
studies. Such travel resutles in backlogs on regular duties and obligations, and therefore may adversely
affect the productivity of other staff at home institutions.
Preservation of rare and irreplacable fossils, artifacts and documents is also an obvious and
significant concern for human heritage. Many fossils, artifacts, and documents are curated in countries
where social and political unrest put their safety, as well as the saftety of the researchers, in jeopardy.
Large collections can be cut off from researchers with the adverse turn of political events. Historically,
social unrest, political upheavals, warfare, and the ensuiing periods of lawlessness that occur in the
absence of social stability have led to the loss or theft of significant heritage resources. The current
situation in Iraq, where museums and libraries have been pillaged or burned, exemplifies the
precariousness of the security of antiquities in unstable social environments. In recent months there have
been declarations and petitions calling for preservation of or decrying the loss or theft of significant
antiquities; for example, the International Council on Monuments and Sites Communique (ICOMOS
2003), the Computer Applications and Quantitatrive Methods in Archaeology (CAA) conference
declaration (Kletsil et al. 2003), and the World Archaeology Congress position statement (WAC 2003).
Nevertheless, there is no substitutite for secure preservation and maintenence of collections before the
fact. Preservation action and archival systems security must be in place and sustained in order to
safegaurd heritage sites, monuments, and objects.
Similarly, due to inffective legislation and enforcement, illegal trafficking in antiquities continues
to flourish, despite on-going efforts at interdiction by local, regional, national, and international law
enforcement agencies. Importantly, the recent public outcry of protest about the thefts of antiquities in
Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, have brought to international attention the need for more effective
policies and programs to track and disrupt the illegal trafficking of antiquities. Digital technologies are
playing a significant role in these activities. For example, digital databases such as the Interpol Stolen
Works of Art site (http://www.jouve-diffusion.com/), ArtGuardian; (http://www.artguardian.ch/), Find
Stolen Art (http://www.findstolenart.com) have been in place for several years, providing an effective,
publicly-accessible source of information and watchlist on antiquities trafficking
Another hazard to cultural heritage resources on a global scale comes from economic developemnt
(infrastructure and other construction projects). Often, in developed nations, the mandate for historic
preservation has a recognized, significant role in society, and legislative and regulatory criteria are in
place in many political systems, but as King, Hickman, and Berg (1977) noted nearly three decades ago,
“the uses of the past are superceded by the needs of the present.” In the case of underdeveloped, less
wealthy nations, the costs of preserving heritage resources may be outweighed by the need to provide
basic health and welfare requirements of the populace. Often this translates into loss of heritage resources.
In addition to culturally-propogated dangers, natural hazards (such as severe storms, huricanes,
tornadoes, floods, fires, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and earthquakes) also cause damage and loss of
biological and cultural heritage resources. Recent expressions of concerns in the aftermath of the floods
in Prague, which seriously damaged the Prague Museum, led to the establishment of a special fund
collected at the CAA 2003 for the Prague Museum. Unfortunately, restoration funding received after
natural disasters cannot offset the loss of irreplaceable heritage objects.
It is important to understand that digital technologies provide a set of means to forestall the loss of
information about such objects, and cannot reverse the actual loss of antiquities. Digital technologies can
provide a means through which at least basic content information and digital surrogates of sites,
monuments, and objects can be preserved, in a cost-effective manner. Furthermore, the digital 3D data
can be used to produce a physical model of the scanned object through rapid prototyling or milling.
Digital technologies and libraries, also provide a means for disseminating to broader audiences the
significance of heritage resources, and as such, also provide a means for explaining the core reasons why
prevention and preservation action are essential. Through access to digital libraries, policy makers at
local, regional, national and international levels, as well as the public at large, can make better, more
informed decisions about actions that pose adverse effects to world heritage resources. Similarly, people
are made more aware of the richness of the diversity of human beliefs, lifeways, and undertakings.
Through such information distribution, we are gaining a better understanding of peoples different from
ourselves and are better able to comprehend social views of others, as well as the political and natural
events that occur in distant lands. As a result, a bright hope arises that as we become more aware of other
peoples and their societies, we shall find more effective ways to live in peace. Digital Libraries can
contribute to the realization of such a bright hope, for it is through access to knowledge that we learn and
profit as individuals, groups, and societies.
Digital Library 101
Current technology now presents us with the opportunity to provide some correction to problems of
preservation and access, and positively affect our capabilities in the management of heritage resources. In
other words, digital technologies enhance our abilities in “caring for culture clutter” (King, Hickman and
Berg 1977). Through the use of computer hardware and software, laser digitizers, computed tomography,
digital photography, photogrammetry, 3D modeling applications, relational database management
systems (RDMBSs), geographical information systems (GIS), and other technologies (e.g., remote
sensing) it is feasible to create and broadly disseminate a rich and diverse range of digital content. This is
not to say that developing and implementing a digital library project is possible for everyone. Developers
must have requisite training and experience in Information Technology (IT), Information Management
Systems (IMS), RDBMSs, GIS, Digital Imaging, Modeling and multimedia technologies, ontologies,
markup Languages, metadata, thesauri development, a variety of computer languages (e.g., SQL, XML,
Java, Java3D, VRML, video codecs, etc.). Developers must also have content specialization in one or
more cultural heritage domains or subfields (e.g., archaeology; lithic technology; ceramics; etc. ). A one
person shop is not likely to be able to produce this digital content. Teams must know how the pieces work
and fit together, and how to innovatively implement them.
DANA-WH and Distributed Database Networks
By distributed database network, we are referring to a large data collection with different
constituent data sets under the control of separate RDBMSs running on independent, remote computer
systems that are linked to the network. Each of the participating systems in the network has autonomous
processing capability for local applications, but each can also participate in the execution of global
network applications. The connections between the systems in the total network are hidden, or transparent
to the users, making the network appear to operate as a single data warehouse. At the same time, users can
easily discover information about the digital objects (metadata), e.g., creator, software used to create the
image or model, resolution, ownership and intellectual property rights.
DANA-WH System Architecture
At present, the DANA-WH system at NDSU incorporates the campus network and backbone, the
NDSU Oracle 9i RDBMS, the ATL Research Storage (RESSTOR) server for multimedia files storage
and retrieval, and the NDSU Web server for application operation. The ATL also uses test systems
consisting of the Apache Web Server, Apache Tomcat servlet container, PostgreSQL, and a Control
Version System (CVS). It is important to note, however, that minimum requirements for participating
institutions are simply a Java servlet container, a compliant database, and Internet connectivity, all of
which can be run on a server with adequate CPU speed and power, RAM (memory) storage space,
utilities, applications, and other essential software.
DANA-WH Interoperability
In order to establish interoperability of the participating network databases, we are using open
standards such as Structured Query Language (SQL) and Extensible Markup Language (XML) combined
with new Java Technologies. Our goal is to enable DANA-WH participants to use whichever Javacompliant RDBMS they choose. This is more easily accomplished when vender-specific commands are
avoided, so we use generic SQL statements for table creation and data insertion and retrieval. Our current
operational prototype works with Oracle 9i and PostgreSQL, and we anticipate that it will work with IBM
Informix, IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, and other fully functional RDBMSs with Java JDBC Data
Access.
XML, which is a platform independent and license-free text format, provides a means to format
data in a way that facilitates data sharing between computer processes. As such, it provides
standardization for Internet distributed data. With the use of XML Schema or Document Type Definitions
(DTDs), the data in an XML document are well described and easily shared. XML is used to archive and
display the associated metadata for multimedia and textual objects in archives.
The DANA-WH network uses Java servlets to handle database queries and other communications
with the remote servers. This allows us to load the JDBC drivers at the servlet level for the appropriate
database systems under that servlet's control. The connection to the RDBMS is implemented through a
connection pool that can be set to open connections only as needed. As a result, the pool will not use more
connections than are actually required at any given time, and will maximize efficiency and cost
effectiveness by not tying up more licenses (e.g., RDBMS server/client seats) than needed. DANA-WH
currently utilizes two levels of Java servlets. One level is used for searching, the other for routing the
searches to the correct systems.
There will be times when not all of the data in the network will be available, e.g., server
maintenence and upgrades. However, this downtime can be minimized by undertaking such actions
during off-peak hours. Similarly, to avoid confusion (or delimit frustrtation), the system is designed to
provide a list of all offline servers at the time of a query. The DANA-WH system is designed to scale
well, from running entirely on one computer to containing any number of sites, each of which could
employ up to four servers (even more in a high availability cluster scheme), each with different
functionality.
The primary task of the institutions participating in DANA-WH is archiving of data in textual and
visual forms. The system administrator at each database location may grant write access to qualified
individuals for his/her database. Future tables can be created and data entered through either traditional
methods or the DANA-WH Java-based data entry application.
Object Digitization:
Laser scanners and photogrammetry together with sophisticated software can be used to create 3D
models of the external shape and surface characteristics of nearly any object. Additionally, computed
tomography (CT) scanners can be used to three-dimensionally model both exterior and interior surfaces of
objects such as skeletal remains (e. g., crania), pottery vessels, sarcophagi, even mummies, and more.
These models can be digitally stored, retrieved for viewing, or sent to others via a portable storage
medium (CD ROM, DVD, zip disk, etc.) and Internet connection. Moreover, model data can be archived,
along with associated contextual data, in an Internet accessible, relational database. Databases of this sort
significantly improve access to, analyses on, and preservation of material objects for a variety of
disciplines (e.g., The Perseus Digital Library project (Crane et al. 1985-2003); DANA-WH (Clark et al.
2002a-b); The 3D Murale Project (Cosmas et al. 2003); the E-Skeletons Digital Library (Kappelman et al.
2002); Digital Morphology (DigiMorph 2003); and the Osteology 3D Digital Library (Razdan et al.
2002)).
As digital representations, 3D models, or object surrogates, can be used repeatedly for future
studies and teaching without damage to the rare and sometimes delicate objects. Researchers will be able
to store their findings, compare them with those of others, and carry out analyses on large material
collections that are otherwise not available.
Once the models are made and the database is created, this critically important information can be
made available to anyone with Internet access. In consequence, accurate physical models of the objects
can be produced more inexpensively from the digital data through rapid prototyping, and without loss of
quality with each round of reproduction, as can occur with casting (Seidler et al. 1997; Zollikofer et al.
1998:44). Moreover, sophisticated laser and CT scanning hardware and analytical software permit a
variety of analytical objectives difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional procedures on casts or
even the original objects. Examples of what can be done with digital 3D surrogates include the following:
 precise measurements, some of which are difficult to make with traditional methods, such as surface
area calculations of designated areas, or circumference measurements at multiple locations (e.g.,
Weaver’s (2000, 2001) dissection of cerebellums from cranial endocasts for volume calculations);
 virtual dissections of an object for detailed examinations;
 virtual mirroring of object sections (e.g., as a means of studying object symmetry);
 virtual model reconstructions so that distorted, missing, or ambiguous areas of specimens can be
simulated in multiple versions (e.g., Zollikofer et al. 1995; Kalvin et al. 1995; Conroy et al. 1998;
Zollikofer et al. 1998);
 morphological comparisons of multiple specimens of the same type of object either by superimposing
multiple images in the same coordinate space, or by statistical analysis of coordinate data points;
 consistency in measurement methods (e.g., automated measurements from pre-set alignments);
 illustrations of methods, materials, and measurement points on a class of objects (e.g., saving screen
captures of a skull or an adze with the exact points of measurement shown).
 a wide variety of morphometric studies can be undertaken;
 data mining applications may be used for pattern and cluster analyses, and discovery of new
information, in ways that are unavailable through traditional (non-digital) research methods.
New Content in DANA-WH
An expanded range of Samoan stone and shell adzes has been added through collaboration with
the Cultural Resources Division, Bishop Museum, Honolulu. Additional Native American (Mandan,
Hidatsa, and Arikara) and Euro-American (Fur Traders and Trappers) artifacts from the Like-A-Fishhook
Village and Fort Berthold archaeological site, North Dakota are included through collaboration with the
State Historical Society and Heritage Center Museum in Bismarck, ND. A typological inventory of
pottery profiles from India has been added in collaboration with Dr. Vinod Nautiyal, HNB Garhwal
University, Srinigar, India. An archaic projectile point archive, based on a small assemblage from the
Rustad Site, North Dakota, developed in collaboration with Dr. Michael Michlovic, Minnesota State
University at Moorhead, MN, has been added. In addition, a small selection of Paleolithic materials (e.g.,
an Acheulean handaxe), and Paleoindian projectile points (Clovis and Folsom points) have been added.
Examples of the new content are provided below.
Downloading and Installing the DANA-WH Client
To install the DANA-WH client application, one must download version 1.4 of Sun Microsystems’
Java Runtime Environment (JRE) software. This software download can be accessed from the DANAWH Web site (http://www.dana-wh.net/download/) or the ATL Web page ( http://atl.ndsu.edu/archive/).
During the initial JRE setup, Sun’s new Java Web Start (JWS) will be installed on the user’s computer as
well. JWS allows DANA-WH users to run the network’s client software from their desktop without the
aid of a standard web-browser. Once the JWS installation is complete, the user may access the DANAWH client software by returning to the DANA-WH website and selecting the “Launch Application”
hyperlink. The user is only required to return to the web site once after installation in order to launch the
application. Every other time after the first, the user may launch the application by clicking the
applications icon now found on the user’s computer desktop environment. If a user wishes to access the
3D model interface, he/she must additionally download and install the latest Java3D JRE. A link to this
software download is available from either the ATL or DANA-WH websites. An installation tutorial is
available on both web sites.
Launching and Searching DANA-WH for Content
When the DANA-WH software client is launched, a valid login takes the user to the search
interface. The user selects the collection to which he/she wants access. Currently in the DANA-WH
Archaeology Collection, initial browsing is geographical. The global, geographical search operates
through six levels of increasing spatial specificity: global regions (e.g., North America), global subregions (Northern North America), individual nation (e.g., USA), and primary, secondary, and tertiary
levels appropriate to the country (e.g., in the USA: State, County, and Township or other tertiary unit
designation as appropriate, such as unincorporated areas or named physiographic feature, such as Big
Butte Plateau). When the desired geographic level is reached, the user can continue the search by
Site_Code (Site_Name), by Material_Class, Material_Type, Artifact_Class, and Artifact_Type.
If the user is interested in Oceanian material culture, and is particularly interested in, for example,
Samoan stone adzes, the user drills down geographically through Oceania, Polynesia, USA, American
Samoa and further down to the island of Ta`u, and still further down to a particular village site or locality,
e.g., ,Ta`u Village. The user then chooses Material_Class Stone, Material_Type Basalt, Artifact_Class
tool, and Artifact_Type adze. The search criteria will yield Specimen_Code AS-11-8-42 Figure 1,
below, shows a screen capture of the data, 2D image, and 3D model retrieval for this specimen.
FIGURE 1. View of DANA-WH client showing retrieved 3D model (center foreground) and 6 2D images (left and top)
and metric data (right) for Samoan stone adze AS-11-8-42. Original adze specimen provided to ATL for digitization
through courtesy of Dr. Paul Cleghorn, Pacific Legacy Inc., Honolulu, HI.
As a further example, if a user is searching for ceramics from India, the geographic search sequence
is Asia, South Asia, India, Uttar Pradesh, Etah, and locality Atranjikhera, then the user then selects in
Material_Class Ceramics, in the Material_Type Medium Fabric Artifact_Class Container, and
Artifact_Type Vessel, the search criteria will yield Specimen_Code Atranjikhera-vl5-189 (see Figure 2),
FIGURE 2. View of DANA-WH client display of data and pottery profile of specimen Atranjikhera-vl5-189. Indian
ceramics data provided by Dr. Vinod Nautiyal, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar, Uttaranchal, India.
The visualization interface will be able to retrieve 2D images (e.g., JPEG) of the object or 3D
models. The 2D image viewer provides multiple views of artifacts with metric scales, and as appropriate,
scientific drawings of the objects. For example, in Figure 1 (above) the viewer displays six views of each
Samoan stone or shell adze (individual views of front, back, both side profiles, cutting edge, and poll),
profiles of ceramic types from India (Figure 2, above). A wide range of image data can be displayed in
this manner, from interior and exterior views of decorated pottery sherds to multiple views of archaic
projectile points from the Rustad Site in North Dakota. Although not yet implemented, the 2D image
viewer will soon also have Java-based measurement tools, similar to the DANA-WH client’s 3D viewer
measurement tools.
As our second-generation 3D model viewer, we have incorporated a number of new capabilities.
Users have increased control over lighting options, i.e., a choice between headlight and three directional
lights, light color, and light intensity. Several navigation improvements have been made, as well,
including the ability 1) to return to a previous 3D location, 2) to save and print viewpoints, and 3) to
automatically position viewpoint upon loading a new model. Users are also able to change the display in
order to view an object in any of four render modes: full-color, grayscale, wireframe, or point cloud. We
currently have plans to allow for the following tools: load files directly from a URL, gzip-compressed 3D
files, software import of end-user developed virtual calipers, 3D data mining plots, and
model/measurement annotation.
For full resolution 3D models, the file sizes are quite large (e.g., 20-30 MB, or larger), but the
resolution is so precise as to allow measurements at the sub-millimeter level. We are working to employ
compression software to deliver the large files with less wait and no loss of model accuracy. Extremely
large files (very complex or large objects) will be made available in either full form or as decimated files.
The decimated files will have some loss of precision (how much depends on the level of decimation
used), but will be quite sufficient for teaching purposes and general examinations. In this way, we can
accommodate the users’ access mode (Internet2, broadband, modem), computer capabilities (RAM,
speed, graphics card), and purpose (e.g., detailed analysis or general observation).
DANA-WH Role in Education
DANA-WH resources will provide educators with a broad range of digital heritage resources
content for use in the classroom. Educators will be able to select, assemble and use DANA-WH content
appropriate to their target audiences and teaching level, especially as that content is coupled with other
information to create educational modules. Several examples follow:
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Elementary school teachers can select, assemble and use DANA-WH content to develop and
deliver topic-specific teaching modules, such as providing an overview of Native American
material culture and lifeways.
In secondary or post-secondary settings the same content can be used to study basic social
organization.
For post-secondary education, the content may be used in modules addressing kinship, ritual, and
other more advanced topics, such as trade networks, subsistence strategies, advances in
technology, place, hominid evolution, morphometrics, spatio-temporal studies, etc.
The same content that interests a social studies teacher or anthropology professor might also be of
interest to someone teaching history, Native American studies, folk arts, or other related subjects.
An example of an educational use of DANA-WH content is under development by the ATL in
collaboration with faculty from the departments of Anthropology, English, History, Botany, and
Computer Science (Clark et al. 2003; Johnston et al. 2002; Slator et al. 2001). We are developing an
Immersive Virtual Environment (IVE) for education, called the Virtual Archaeologist
(http://fishhook.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu). The IVE will include links to and content from DANA-WH, in
addition to a 3D virtual reconstruction of the Like-A-Fishhook Village and Fort Berthold archaeological
site complex in North Dakota. The project team has also developed a text-based MOO (Multi-user
Domain-Object-Oriented) for use in creative writing curricula for historical fiction.
Future Plans for DANA-WH
Enhanced 3D Viewer
In the coming months, enhanced 3D analysis tools will be added to the 3D viewer.
 Various user-selected linear and non-linear measurements;
 Selected indices will be calculated and entered automatically into the proper data fields once
relevant measurements have been taken, using either a pseudo-automated system, virtual
caliper measurements, or from data taken on the physical object already in the database.
 Users may select from a set of morphometric measurement tools the ones they wish to
employ.
 Users will be able to store their measurements and record other observations in a passwordprotected "personal log book" that will persist between sessions.
 Screen captures, log book entries, or other files can be saved, printed, or sent to others
electronically. This allows detailed documentation of the examined objects, tools,
measurement points used, and so on.
GIS Capability
Long-term plans for DANA-WH include the addition of a Geographical Information Systems
(GIS) interface. This will enable layered searches of 2D maps and 3D geophysical projections of sites and
excavations and associated content. Field and raster data will be processed to meet Global Spatial Data
Infrastructure (GSDI) standards (http://www.gsdi.org/) before the information is embedded within
DANA-WH. Therefore, we will be paying particular attention to the Spatial Data Infrastructure
Cookbook and GSDI documents which outline internationally accepted glossarial data development
standards (http://www.gsdi.org/pubs.html). At this time we anticipate that we will use the open source
GRASS GIS package for inclusion in DANA-WH.
Document Digitzation
The ATL has not yet implemented document digitization and text encoding due to the ATL’s
priority on successsful development of protocols for 3D visulization. However, delivery of relevant
documents is planned for future versions of DANA-WH. Much has been written on the digitization of
documents and their place in digital libraries over the past few years (e.g., Crane et al. 1985-2003;
Townsend et al. 1999. Ross et al.2002). In brief terms, there are 2 basic methods for digitization of
documents: 1) digital transcription of source documents; and 2) digitization using flatbed scanners or
photodigitizers and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The resulting digital surrogates of the
documents can then be encoded to facilitate textual content searches (e.g., using Encoded Archival
Description (EAD)), as diplayed at the Making of America (MOA) digital library collection at the
University of Michigan (http://moa.umdl.umich.edu/).
Expanded Collaboration and International Participation.
We are currently seeking funding to expand DANA-WH content and related collaborative research and
development projects. These efforts include the following list.
 Creation of digital library collection ofr biolgical anthropology. That collection will focus
initially on hominid remains from Tanzania, together with the current small collection of hominid
cranial endocasts and Neandertal hand bones, but eventually expand to other fossil primates.
 In collaboration with the ATL, Dr. Donald Sanders, President of Learning Sites, Inc. (LSI), and
the Institute for the Visualization of History (VIZIN) we are proposing the development of a
Virtual Heritage Library and Registry for past, present and future 3D environements of cultural
heritage sites, monuments and objects.
 We hope to work with Dr. Franco Niccolucci, of the University of Florence, in adding an Italian
Heritage Resources component to DANA-WH as well as expanding its functionality.
 ATL staff have established ties with a number of markup language and metadata initiatives.
These include the Organization for Advancement Standards for Information Systems (OASIS)
HumanMarkup Language (HumanML)Technical Committee and the Human Physical
Characteristics Description Markup Language (HPCDML) subcommittee, Physiome.org’s
Anatomical Markup Language AnatML under development at the BioInformatics Group,
University of Auckland, New Zealand, the International Council of Museums (ICOM),
International Committee for Documentation (CIDOC), Conceptural Reference Model (CRM
Special Interest Group (SIG). Additonally, we will be involved in Consortium for the
Internchange of Museum Informatics (CIMI) markup language and metadata developments.
Summary
The new enhancements (web site, expanded name and target audience, new graphics viewer,
additional content and collaborations) exemplify the real future and potential benefits available to
scholarly researchers, faculty, students and the general public (e.g., life-long learners) through DANAWH. We are very interested in expanding collaborations and welcome domain specialists in all fields of
relevance to anthropology and cultural heritage, as well as information technology professionals,
particularly those individuals and groups involved in Digital Libraries, markup languages, ontologies, and
metadata. Persons interested in participation in the DANA-WH project are invited to contact the authors.
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