University of Sydney, Australia

The Archaeological Computing Laboratory at the University of Sydney specialises in the application of Geographic Information Systems to archaeological and historical data. The lab teaches computer use, data management and GIS at undergraduate and graduate levels using web-based teaching modules developed in-house, and supports numerous archaeological research projects with mapping needs, including maintenance of a GPS base station and provision of GPS equipment for field use.

Research by the lab's TimeMap Project team centers on the development of web- accessible SQL server databases of time-stamped cultural data; on a methodology for storing map data in such databases; and on methods of searching and accessing distributed, heterogeneous, time-stamped datasets and displaying selected data through a time-aware GIS front-end and map- based animation. Emphasis is placed on the development of low-cost solutions for personal computers rather than high-end techniques.