During the past fifteen years, archaeologists in the Mediterranean have accumulated large amounts of computerized data that have remained trapped in localized and often proprietary databases. Few efforts have been made to facilitate ways in which such data might be brought together and shared between researchers, with students, and with the general public. It is now possible to change that situation. Archaeological data always includes an intrinsic geographic component, and the compilation and sharing of geographic data through GIS has become increasingly important during the past ten years. New technologies and the expansion of the Internet now make it possible to share geographic information quickly, widely and effectively. That sort of exchange is required should archaeologists, anthropologists or historians wish to study regional or Mediterranean-wide patterns and draw historical conclusions that are broader than their own study areas.

This web-site is a result of the development of a Collaboratory for GIS and Mediterranean Archaeology (CGMA, pronounced Sigma). The goal of CGMA is to extend the existing ACS Archaeology program in order to provide more students with a chance to learn and practice archaeology while contributing to scholarship. In particular, students can learn about an important new technology, specifically GIS, and how this technology is transforming spatial studies in archaeology. In addition, by combining the efforts of students and faculty, CGMA will begin construction on the first Mediterranean-wide GIS system for archaeology, providing a functional framework for broad studies of the interactions of humans and their environment in antiquity.