Introducing a Tablet‑Based System to Record Sites during Archaeological Surveys in Luang Prabang

Nitixay1*, BOUNXAYTHIP Souliya1, Joyce White2,3, Elizabeth Hamilton2

Creating a national inventory of archaeological sites can be challenging, especially in a developing country with a relatively new national infrastructure for heritage management. Traditional paper‑based approaches can be unsystematic and vulnerable to losses and damage. Incorporation of digital spreadsheets of records is a step forward but also has limitations regarding the kinds of information recorded and the stability of maintaining the content. This paper gives an overview of the mobile GIS approach to site surveys and inventories, which the Middle Mekong Archaeological Project introduced to Laos in 2005. The current system employing tablets is built upon the previous versions and has many added enhancements. This paper will review the system and its field application and demonstrate how it is being used to create a cloud‑based site catalogue that can be accessed anywhere by registered users. Systems like this facilitate inclusive collaborations from local to national and international stakeholders.