Context Sheet Additions Complete

We've just finished deploying some new additions to the Context Sheet. Like all the other fields on the Context Sheet they are configurable:



If you select one of the new fields they will then appear when you Edit a Context:



They will also appear in the Print View:



We have tested these additions but if you come across any problems or have any questions please get it touch (Contact Us).

Scheduled Downtime

As part of the changes to www.nabonidus.org that will be happening over the next few weeks we will need to bring the site down briefly (10 - 15 minutes only) at certain times. The plan is to deploy additions at Midday GMT over the coming 4 Sundays:
- 12:00PM Sunday 27th July 2008
- 12:00PM Sunday 3rd August 2008
- 12:00PM Sunday 10th August 2008
- 12:00PM Sunday 17th August 2008

If you attempt to use the site you will receive the above test pattern but there is no need to worry we are not touching any data just adding functionality.

If this downtime is going to cause you problems don't hesitate to get in touch and we can easily reschedule (Contact Us).

Thanks, Ben.

Planned additions to Nabonidus

After a long hiatus we are back and about to start some new development work on www.nabonidus.org. We've been encouraged by some helpful suggestions by Chris Mundigler and his colleagues who run excavations all over the place but have setup some of their excavations from Israel and the Ukraine in Nabonidus. They have been really nice and suggested ways in which Nabonidus could be more useful for Middle Eastern excavations and thats what this new work will focus on.

You may or may not know this but Nabonidus was originally built for a Pompeiian excavation so does have quite a classical "tilt". So we hope these additions will make Nabonidus more usable for Archaeologists working on Middle Eastern sites.

So here is the list of additions we are going to make - essentially a whole lot of new fields. They will be free text unless otherwise stated:

Context (locus) Sheet:
- Comment on Accumulation
- Particle Size
- Compaction
- Contents
- Explanation of Contents
- Critical Bucket(s)
- Other Samples Taken (checkbox)
- Explanation of contamination
- Excavation Date Opened/Level/Reason
- Excavation Date Closed/Level/Reason
- Interpretation By/Date/Contact Info
- Drawing Numbers
- Appears in which baulk drawings
- Other Reports
- Height or Depth
- Top and Bottom Elevation
- Appears in which baulks

Pottery Sheet
- Sherd Identification Number
- Bucker Identification
- Type
- Function
- Parallels
- Interpretation/By/Date/Contact Info
- Also give the ability to search for pottery classes by date range

Artifact Sheet
- Registration number
- Field number
- Bucket ID
- Description
- Object drawn (checkbox)
- Object photographed (checkbox)
- Object sampled (checkbox)
- Observations Size/Weight/Colour/Other
- Provisional identification
- Start date range
- End date range
- Interpretation/By/Date/Contact Info

Special Finds Sheet
- Registration number
- Bucket ID
- Description
- Photograph ID
- Drawing ID/Drawn By
- Interpretation/By/Date/Contact Info

Relationships Sheet
- Description of Context
- Tentative Interpretation/By/Date/Contact Info

Sample Type Sheet
- Registration number
- Bucket ID
- Spatial Location
- Purpose for sample
- Sent to
- Date sent
- Date Received
- Interpretation/By/Date/Contact Info

Ecofact Sheet
- Registration number
- Field number
- Bucket ID
- Description
- Observations Size/Weight/Colour/Other
- Provisional identification
- Description
- Interpretation/By/Date/Contact Info


And as always please feel free to get in touch to suggest more (Contact Us).

Ben Wood
Nabonidus Administrator.