Information on all sites included in the Geographic Information System is stored in the database and site data is linked to the appropriate maps through the use of a unique ID code. The database includes information both on sites that appear in official SCA registers and sites that do not, and makes it possible to produce customized reports on them. All material is entered in both Arabic and English, thus ensuring that the data can be disseminated to all interested parties.
There are three categories of database applications in the EAIS database system. The first category, Main Applications, contains legal, positional, archaeological, and threat data on both Egyptian and Islamic historical sites. This information is collected by the Legal and Archaeology departments. The next category, System Management, includes the databases EAIS uses to manage its work; i.e. Map Archiving, Metadata Bibliography and Contact databases.
The data in the main application is divided into five categories: archaeological information, mission data, official data gathered from the Survey and Properties department of SCA "AMLAAK", system data representing official data verified by the project, and threat data on the dangers posed to the site by human and environmental factors.
Data entry and editing is carefully monitored to ensure accuracy, and data is accessed and managed through two different modules: data management module (entry and edit) and search module. Through the search module, users can search for sites using a single criterion within any of the data in the databse e.g. search using the legal status only. In addition, users can use multiple criteria in search e.g. search using name and legal status at same time. The modules are continuously upgraded to make direct access to information easier and to take advantage of the latest software. The information stored in the database is likewise updated periodically to incorporate the latest archaeological data and reports, thus ensuring a dynamic database that does not become obsolete.
