I have a few points to make in response to Neil's e-mail.
While I am an ex-AIP data collator, I should state that I am no longer
involved in either project, so these are purely my own opinions....
AIP is only re-presenting the 1982 - 2003 data it has spent the last ten+
years collating, not that collected in the period since the OASIS started
collecting data on-line. I believe (though I could be wrong on this one) -
that the AIP data holds slightly more data from the reports (such as
geology, monument types etc) than the Excavations Index did, which can be
searched using the advanced search function.
The OASIS Excavations Index is utilises data collated by the NMR - which
includes a lot of data submitted by the AIP.
The AIP is meant to be an index to the grey literature produced across
England - the reports generated are not meant to take the place of the
archaeological report - any one undertaking detailed research would should
still be referring back to the original report. AIP (and OASIS) are acting
as an index - letting the researcher know the data exists and where it is
held (the local SMR or Archaeological Unit who produced the report).
It is my understanding (though this is very out of date information as I am
no longer as involved in AIP/OASIS/SMR issues), that while it is free to
upload whole digital reports to OASIS at the moment, at some point someone
will have to pay for the storage of this data. It is only the filling in of
the OASIS form that is required by archaeological conditions on planning
permission - not the uploading of the report.
All grid references will have been taken from the archaeological reports
(if they include them - and you would be surprised at how many are missing
from the older reports).
As I have already stated, I'm really not involved in these issues anymore,
these are just a few points that I felt would be of interest to the forum.
Regards,
Anna
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anna Stocks,
Planning Archaeologist,
Warwickshire County Council.
Museum Field Services,
The Butts,
Warwick,
CV34 4SS.
Tel: (01926) 412734
Fax: (01926) 412974.
Neil Campling
<Neil.Campling@NORTHYOR To: [log in to unmask]
KS.GOV.UK> cc:
Sent by: Issues related Subject: More Duplication ?
to Historic Environment
Records
<[log in to unmask]
K>
20/03/2006 09:21
Please respond to
Issues related to
Historic Environment
Records
Dear All,
The Archaeological Investigations Project (AIP) has recently announced
the availability of its searchable database of a bibliographic gazetteer
of over 47,000 archaeological grey literature reports from 1982-2003. I
think I am correct in saying that this is very similar / almost the same
as the Excavations Index on ADS. Moreover, the original data is all
held by local HERs, in which the data are more robustly validated (AIP
grid references are regularly imprecise or incorrect, and it doesn't
include all reports). At least OASIS is trying to get reports digitally
avaialble (although there is the issue of mark-up), but for the AIP
identified reports, one will still have to go to the HERs in any case.
Surely this is a duplication or triplication of effort?
Cheers,
Neil
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