What is GIS?
Geographic Information System is a system of computer software, hardware, data, and personnel to help manipulate, analyze and present information that is tied to spatial location.
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How can I obtain data from EAIS?
EAIS always welcomes data exchange with other institutes, missions and organizations, mainly through protocols signed with the Project National Director.
Post-graduate students and researchers are also welcome through agreements with EAIS based on appropriate letters signed from their university/institute.
For all forms of data exchange, copyrights and data distribution restrictions must be respected.
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How does EAIS disseminate its data?
The first EAIS publication, Ash-Sharqiyyah Historical Sites, is currently being published by the American University in Cairo Press. It consists of a book with large-scale maps and an accompanying CD with archaeological, threat and legal information and additional maps for 126 sites in Ash-Sharqiyyah governorate. Other venues for dissemination include quarterly newsletters, participation in national and international conferences, this website and the production of several wall maps highlighting particular aspects of our work.
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What are the data formats available for data exchange? (GIS, Database and Archaeology Units)
GIS data is exchanged in several formats, as agreed upon with other parties; most common formats are the Shapefiles, tiffs and also grids.
As for datasheets, final datasheets are exported from database in the following formats:
Access Reports: exchanged as a hard copy only.
Excel formats: (.dbf3, .db2, .xls, etc.)
Word formats: (.doc, .txt, .rtf, etc.)
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Which softwares are used in EAIS? (GIS, DB and IT)
GIS uses ESRI ArcView 9.1 (ArcView 3.x. is still used with some data formats). Spatial Analyst extension is used for some data manipulations and Adobe Photoshop for image enhancements.
The database is currently being upgraded from MS Access 2003 to SQL server 2000, using VB.NET 2003 as an interface.
All EAIS work stations run on a Windows XP platform.
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What will happen with EAIS after the project ends in 2007?
The project's third and last phase is planned to end in September 2007. The main task of this phase is to assure sustainability of EAIS after the hand over to SCA, and EAIS will continue to be the official SCA GIS center.
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How is the quality of the database output data guaranteed?
Standardized metadata are used in both data collection and database design; through the analysis of the data, standards for each item are set. The data produced is revised by Senior Archaeological experts from EAIS and SCA. There are fixed periodic quality checks on data in the archaeological database and procedures of quality control are continuously updated.
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Why are there so many archaeological remains left in Egypt?
The chance of preservation is different than from many other countries. First, the dry desert climate means that many things will be preserved here that would not survive in wetter conditions. These include papyrus, organic remains (textiles, wood and so on) and of course human bodies. Second, many of the famous monuments and cemeteries are built on the desert fringe away from the cultivated areas. However, while it is true that there is a wealth of archaeological remains preserved, the most well known remains are all religious and funerary – temples and tombs. Comparatively, there is little information on settlements and urban patterns, although this bias has started to change with more recent excavations. What we consider 'Ancient Egypt' actually lasted for almost 3000 years – a lot of buildings, talls and broken pottery will accumulate in this time!
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Who is responsible for the preservation of Egypt's monuments?
The Supreme Council (SCA) is part of the Ministry of Culture and is the government institution responsible for the excavation, recording and preservation of sites and monuments. The SCA is divided into three main sectors: the Ancient sector, the Coptic, Jewish and Islamic sector, and finally the Museum sector. The main offices are located in Cairo with local branches (taftish) in each governorate. The SCA was previously known as the Egyptian Antiquities Organization (EAO).
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How are datasheets collected?
Archaeological data is mainly collected through the EAIS reference library, research in the international libraries in Cairo, and by retrieving official SCA reports from the central archives. This information is then checked and verified during the site visits.
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If I provide EAIS with data, how is my copyright respected?
All data incorporated in the EAIS – including archaeological information, maps and GPS points - is acknowledged by name and date of contribution.
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Is EAIS database only concerned with the sites owned by the SCA?
EAIS database includes all SCA sites (property of the SCA, under SCA supervision, under registration process or under registration request), ceded sites (sites that were SCA sites and found to have no archaeological significance) as well as unregistered sites (sites that are unknown to SCA and found be EAIS archaeologists through research).....more
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