FAIR & CARE in southern South America: Examining Archaeological Data in Córdoba Province, Argentina

IZETA , ANDRES; CATTANEO ROXANA

Oakland

Congreso; 51st International Conference CAA (Computer applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology).; 2024

CAA

In recent years, the international scientificcommunity has been advancing the idea of how toanalyze and share academic knowledge in line withthe principles of open science. This presentationfocuses on characterizing the state of affairs inCórdoba’s archaeology and its adherence tothe FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable,Reusable) and CARE (Collective Benefit, Authorityto Control, Responsibility, Ethics) principles forIndigenous Data Governance. These principleswere created to advance the legal assumptionsunderlying collective and individual data rights,particularly in the United Nations Declaration onthe Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).We analyze three dimensions related to regionalarchaeological research and its curation anddissemination: spatial interpretation, temporalinterpretation, and communication. The spatialdimension reveals a challenge in geolocatingarchaeological sites due to concerns about theirprotection and the lack of precise information.In terms of the temporal dimension, currenthistorical-cultural models are insufficient, andthe scarcity of radiocarbon dating complicatesthe construction of precise chronologies. Toaddress these challenges, all of this data is nowpublicly available at The Suquía InstitutionalRepository. This database was developed asa digital platform for the preservation anddissemination of cultural heritage in Argentina. Itincludes a diverse range of cultural material, suchas documents, photographs, maps, newspapers,videos, and audio recordings. This digitizationof cultural heritage is essential to guarantee theconservation and accessibility of documentedmaterial associated with archaeologicalinvestigations. In addition, the Suquia Repositoryserves as a valuable resource for indigenouscommunities, environmentalists, researchers,scholars, and students seeking to researchor learn about Argentina’s cultural heritage.By making cultural heritage materials freelyavailable to the public, the Suquia Repositoryseeks to promote a more informed and educatedsociety by ensuring access to knowledge. As aresult, it stands as a nationwide example of howinstitutions foster this type of initiative.Regarding the third aspect, data communication,and storage infrastructure, the region has atradition of archaeological publications and agrowing interest in open-source systems to ensureopen access to data. Institutional repositoriesand university-based journals using systems likePKP’s Open Journal System, which follows theDiamond Open Access model (papers published,distributed, and preserved with no fees to eitherreaders or authors), are the norm. Editorialand content quality are regulated through theirinclusion in national and international indexesand databases.These efforts align with the principles of FAIRand CARE, but from an academic perspective. Inaddition, local indigenous communities are stillseeking collective identification and political rearticulation.Therefore, discussions regardingissues of data sovereignty and governance,as well as other ethical considerations in datamanagement, are not immediate concerns.Especially when compared to historical requestsfor ancestral territories and the return ofancestors’ remains.In summary, Córdoba’s academic archaeology isconsciously or unconsciously moving towards theadoption of FAIR and CARE principles, but faceschallenges such as site protection, improvingchronologies, and implementing open-source37. FAIR & CARE in SouthernSouth America: ExaminingArchaeological Data in CórdobaProvince, ArgentinaAndrés D. Izeta (IDACOR. CONICET &Universidad Nacional de Córdoba)*;Roxana Cattaneo (IDACOR. CONICET &Universidad Nacional de Córdoba)265systems for open data access. On the other hand,we have initiated dialogues with indigenouscommunities to listen to their perspectives onethical concerns related to archaeological data.Peer data governance and digital data sovereigntyare the challenges that academic communities,committed to open science and respecting bothethics and Indigenous knowledge, must addresstogether with Indigenous peoples.