The Israel Antiquities Authority on Tuesday launched a digital platform centralizing all archaeological information collected and researched in Israel. The database currently contains 3,910,005 records, along with 964,393 objects, 1,223,552 images and 15,164 three-dimensional models.
The National Archaeological Database allows users to browse publications, photos, 3D scans, excavation reports and archival documents through a smart search by site, period, type of find and other categories.
The system includes an interactive geographic search that lets users plot an area of interest on a map and instantly access all relevant archaeological information—from findings to excavation documents, images, models and professional publications.
“In a country with a rich heritage like Israel, a huge collection of archaeological information from all periods has been collected over the years,” said Alby Malka, head of the IAA’s Technologies Division.
“By Israeli law, every archaeological find that is uncovered must be reported, documented and deposited in the National Archives. As a result, data constantly gathers under the aegis of the Israel Antiquities Authority on many archaeological digs, as well as on hundreds of thousands of ancient items—from scrolls and coins to pottery, jewelry and archaic architectural elements,” he continued.
“A national archaeological database, which gathers and makes all this knowledge accessible both to the lay public and to researchers, is a tool of paramount importance for scientific research, for preserving the country’s heritage, and for deepening public knowledge,” added Malka.
IAA chief scientist Débora Sandhaus described the archive as “a treasure” and a “global asset.”
“It gives the international scientific community unique access from any computer in the world to vast knowledge about the history of the Levant, and enables a large-scale comparative study, which was never even possible until now,” she said.
