Archaeo-Informatics 2026 - From the Field to the Screen

Archaeology has entered an era of unprecedented digital production. With just a few clicks, enormous amounts of information can now be generated – in the field, in laboratories, in archives, and through research infrastructures around the world. Excavations produce thousands of images, measurements, spatial records, and 3D models; scientific analyses create increasingly complex datasets; and collections and archives are continuously being transformed into digital resources.

This abundance of information offers extraordinary opportunities for archaeological research, collaboration, and public engagement. At the same time, it presents fundamental challenges: How can digital data be preserved over the long term? How can different datasets communicate with one another? How can archaeological knowledge be made accessible, sustainable, and meaningful for future generations?

The Archaeo-Informatics Meeting 2026 invites researchers, field archaeologists, heritage specialists, data managers, digital humanists, software developers, librarians, archivists, and museum professionals to contribute papers exploring the evolving relationship between archaeological practice and digital infrastructures.

Under the theme From the Field to the Screen: Challenges and Perspectives of Digital Storage and Publications, the meeting will focus on how archaeological information is created, organised, preserved, visualised, shared, and published in increasingly digital research environments.

We welcome contributions addressing theoretical, methodological, technical, and practical aspects of digital archaeology and research data management. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Digital workflows in archaeological fieldwork
• Long-term archiving of archaeological datasets
• Digital repositories and infrastructures
• Metadata, linked open data standards and interoperability
• Open access, licensing, data-sharing standards and policies (e.g. national, regional, and international policies)
• Collaborative platforms and citizen science initiatives
• Case studies on digital excavation archives and publication workflows
• AI for data curation and publication
• Data visualisation and the creation of digital stories, including XR, VR, and AR applications

We particularly encourage contributions that critically reflect on the transition from analogue to digital practices and examine how digital technologies are reshaping archaeological interpretation, collaboration, accessibility, and the publication of archaeological knowledge.

Archaeo-Informatics is a regular biennial event jointly organised by the German Archaeological Institute, Istanbul Department, Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, and the British Institute at Ankara (BIAA). Bringing together scholars and practitioners working at the intersection of archaeology and digital technologies, the meeting provides a platform for interdisciplinary exchange on current developments, methodological innovations, and critical challenges in archaeological informatics.

Submission Guidelines

Please submit an abstract of approximately 200–300 words, including title, author affiliation(s), and contact information.

Submission deadline: 15 August 2026

Submissions and inquiries should be sent to: archaeoinformatics@dainst.de

The conference (planned as a hybrid meeting) will take place on 24–25 November 2026 at the Istanbul Department of the German Archaeological Institute. Travel and accommodation costs cannot be covered by the conference.

We look forward to welcoming participants from across disciplines to discuss current challenges and future perspectives in archaeological informatics and digital heritage research. 

With your registration you agree that your data and your abstract can be published on the Digital public relation channels (Websites, Facebook, Instagram etc.) of the German Archaeological Institute, the Middle East Technical University and the British Institute at Ankara in the context of the event.