April 2003

Oxford ArchDigital Puts Archaeology on the Map

Oxford ArchDigital, a spin-out company from the University of Oxford, has been chosen to deliver the new Finds Management Software for the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

The Portable Antiquities Scheme was established to promote recording of archaeological objects found by the public and to broaden awareness of these finds for understanding our past. Since 1997 the Scheme's Finds Liaison Officers have examined over 100,000 objects, many of which might have otherwise gone unrecorded. Data is published on the Scheme's website at www.finds.org.uk

In March 2003, Oxford ArchDigital (OAD) was chosen to design and supply an entirely new content management solution for the Scheme. This will allow the 37 Finds Liaison Officers and other staff, located throughout the UK, to access and update the Scheme's central records from any remote location via the Internet. The same system will also be used to manage the data and present it to the public, without the need for a separate web publishing process.

The innovative security and image watermarking features to be incorporated into the solution will ensure total data security whilst allowing members of the public instant access to the most up-to-date information. Registered members of the public will also be able to enter the data themselves directly into the new system, for later vetting by a Finds Liaison Officer. All information will then be displayed on the Scheme website. This approach will allow members of the public to be directly involved in the creation of a major new archive that will form part of our shared UK heritage.

The new system will be built around the ToadHMS engine, a content management solution for heritage data that has been developed by OAD over the last two years. ToadHMS (The Oxford ArchDigital Heritage Management System) is a network-based solution for the management, distribution and presentation of heritage data that can be accessed though any web browser.

ToadHMS includes the ToadView image management system, which provides dynamic watermarking and copyright protection, and the ToadMap spatial engine, which allows the plotting of sites on a map and the creation of clickable distribution maps without the need for third party mapping software.

A working version of the Finds Management Software will be available to members of the Scheme in April, with the final version being formally launched in July 2003.

Notes to Editors

About the Portable Antiquities Scheme

The Scheme is managed by a consortium of national bodies led by Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, and includes the British Museum, English Heritage, the National Museums & Galleries of Wales and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, together with the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers, the Council of British Archaeology, the National Council for Metal Detecting, the Society of Museum Archaeologists and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. The Scheme is co-ordinated by Roger Bland, Head of Treasure and Portable Antiquities at the British Museum.

In April 2002, Resource was successful in its bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund to extend the Scheme to the whole of England and Wales from 2003. There will now be provision for a total of 46 posts, and the Scheme's future is assured until at least April 2006. This bid represents a unique partnership of 63 national and local museums, archaeological bodies working together to realise the project's vision.

Contact
Portable Antiquities Scheme
c/o Dept. Coins & Medals
British Museum, London WC1B 3GD.
T 020 7323 8611
E info@finds.org.uk
W http://www.finds.org.uk

About Oxford ArchDigital (OAD)

Oxford ArchDigital (OAD) is a leader in the provision of computing solutions for the museum and heritage sector. Launched in 2001 as a spin-out company from the University of Oxford, OAD provides content management solutions, GIS consultancy and 3D modelling services for museums and heritage projects.

The current need for a new heritage management solution in the UK heritage sector led the company to develop its latest software solution, the ToadHMS heritage management system. ToadHMS has been designed to provide a technologically sound, network-based solution to accommodate the range of spatial, textual and image data contained within Sites and Monuments Records, museums and similar archives. It allows all of these institutions to share and exchange data both with the public and within their own organisations.

In addition to the supply of software systems for heritage and museum management, OAD offers a range of teaching programmes that are designed to educate archaeology, heritage and museum professionals in the use of specialist computer applications including AutoCAD, Microsoft Access, MapInfo and ArcView GIS. These are offered in conjunction with the Oxford University Department for Continuing Education, and are provided at the company's dedicated training facility in central Oxford.

Contact
Nicholas Case, Managing Director
Oxford ArchDigital Ltd
27 Park End Street, Oxford OX1 1HU
T 01865-793043
E nick.case@oxarchdigital.com
W http://oxarchdigital.com

About Resource

Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries provides the strategic leadership, advocacy and advice to enable museums, archives and libraries to touch people's lives and inspire their imagination, learning and creativity.

Contact
W http://www.resource.gov.uk