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Exegesis SMR - Searching by period I have the following thoughts and comments based on our experiences with Exegesis SMR. The overlaps between periods in the excel period list that Kate sent affect the Bronze Age and adjacent periods. They are the same as were present in our copy of Exegesis SMR. Thus, for example, the Neolithic period (minus 4000, i.e. 4000BC to minus 2201) overlaps the Bronze Age (minus 2500 to minus 701) by 299 years and the Bronze Age in turn overlaps the Iron Age (minus 800 to 42) by 99 years. We decided to amend the Look-Up-Table (LUT) and I attach the changes that we made in case they are of any use to anyone. If the SMR community decides to set a standard for period date ranges that is different to this then we will have to reconsider our LUT but in the meantime it allows us to enter records without adding to some of the searching problems that have been outlined recently in this forum. It should be remembered, however, that changing the LUT does not change the database records that are already in the system. They will have to be edited. I am afraid that this does not solve all search problems but it is a start. A further point to raise concerns the broad period ranges, in particular the Prehistoric period (minus 500000 to 42). In our database when a search is conducted within a specific prehistoric period (for example late Iron Age) the search finds all the broad Prehistoric period records. To give an example - there are a number of general flint scatters in our SMR which have in the distant past been entered into the computerised record as merely ˇPrehistoric˘ since it is not known whether they are of Mesolithic, Neolithic or Bronze Age date. It is records such as these which are found in any search which includes any data range in the Prehistoric period. Similarly the late Iron Age search will also find all records that are merely dated as ˇIron Age˘. Sometimes this is useful but sometimes we do need to cut out the false hits on a search, for example, if you are counting the number of late Iron Age records in the database. We have not been able to do this using an ad hoc query. Has anyone successfully managed to carry out such a search? Mark Bennet and Sarah Grundy Lincolnshire SMR ********************************************************************** This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses. www.mimesweeper.com **********************************************************************