Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-8-2026
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Sociology and Anthropology
First Advisor
Jesse Tune
Second Advisor
Matthew Murray
Third Advisor
David Harrison
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Archaeological databases, the foundation of archaeological analyses, have changed drastically alongside the rise of new digital tools in the twenty-first century. Digital databases, alongside other digital tools, must therefore be evaluated for their efficiency and effectiveness within the field. This thesis seeks to determine a set of best practices within large-scale digital archaeological databases through analyzing an existing example: The Paleoindian Database of the Americas (PIDBA). PIDBA is composed of multiple state-level datasets, a trait that both invited collaboration and creates discrepancies in data entry. Though examining both PIDBA's user-facing website and one of its most robust state-level datasets, the Tennessee Fluted Point Survey (TFPS), this thesis concludes that an effective large-scale archaeological database must consider digital data permanence, data and user privacy, the use of intellectual property, the use of volunteer labor, the collection of data, and how that data is represented within the database itself.
Recommended Citation
Vizier, Chloe M., "Analyzing Best Practices in Large-Scale Digital Archaeological Databases" (2026). Honors Theses. 3480.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3480
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