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4 - THE GEODATABASE

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

James Conolly
Affiliation:
Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario
Mark Lake
Affiliation:
University College London
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Summary

Introduction

This chapter describes the way that spatial and attribute data are structured and stored for use within a GIS. It provides the necessary information about data models and database design to enable archaeologists unfamiliar with computer databases to make appropriate decisions about how best to construct a system that will work well and efficiently.

A database is a collection of information that is structured and recorded in a consistent manner. A card catalogue that records information about archaeological sites, such as their location and date, is as much a database as a full-fledged web-searchable digital sites and monuments record. Digital databases differ from their paper counterparts mainly in that they are dependent on database software for searching and retrieving records. The complexity of the data structure will also be increased as digital databases are often broken into several different related files. This reduces the amount of duplicated information in a database, improves access speed and also enables the retrieval of small subsets of data rather than complete records. Software that is used to store, manage and manipulate data is referred to as a Database Management System (DBMS). The objectives of a DBMS are to store and retrieve data records in the most efficient way possible, from both the perspective of the overall size of the database and also the speed at which that data can be accessed.

The technology of DBMS is a major research focus in computer science.

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Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2006

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  • THE GEODATABASE
  • James Conolly, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Mark Lake, University College London
  • Book: Geographical Information Systems in Archaeology
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511807459.004
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  • THE GEODATABASE
  • James Conolly, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Mark Lake, University College London
  • Book: Geographical Information Systems in Archaeology
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511807459.004
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • THE GEODATABASE
  • James Conolly, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Mark Lake, University College London
  • Book: Geographical Information Systems in Archaeology
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511807459.004
Available formats
×