Managing scientific data

Each year, archaeologists excavate a large number of archaeological finds and produce a similarly large number of documents. Finds and documents are listed, studied and permanently stored in special premises in Réunion.

Archaeological finds refer to all objects collected during a field operation and likely to provide information on a given archaeological site. Often the only direct evidence of the site after the excavation has been completed, they constitute, along with the scientific documents – text, drawings, photographs and so on – produced during the operation, valuable and unique materials for the study of this archaeological heritage. These data form an important database and, using increasingly advanced scientific analysis techniques, provide the basis for more detailed specialised studies.

A centre for the management of scientific data

Archaeological finds from more than one hundred archaeological excavations in Réunion and the French Southern and Antarctic Territories are stored at the Centre de stockage de la Providence in Saint-Denis. This is where archaeologists and specialists study, catalogue and store these invaluable archives of the ground in order to better conserve them for future generations. Since these storage units are almost full, the State plans to create a centre for the conservation and study of scientific archaeological data in Réunion. It will provide an effective tool to coordinate regional policy on archaeological heritage finds and provide spaces for their storage and the work and hosting of researchers and the public.