As you embark on fieldwork and research this summer, ASOR invites you to make submissions to our Virtual Archaeology Initiative. Developed by ASOR’s Membership & Outreach Committee, the Virtual Archaeology Initiative is a growing collection of digital resources that illustrate or teach various steps involved in the archaeological process. In addition to creating teaching tools that will benefit students/educators and generate interest in archaeology, this will allow people who cannot or would not participate in actual excavations to feel as if they still can. Please check out our current submissions on YouTube or TikTok.

Submissions can be any of the following (coordinate with your dig director(s) to ensure their permission):

1) a short teaching video that explains a specific process or element of an excavation, how that element fits within the overall objective of the dig, and/or how it fulfills some responsibility that we as archaeologists have to study, preserve, document, and make accessible the materials we excavate;
2) a digital image with explanation of the pictured stratigraphy/object/etc.;
3) a video field diary recording in which you discuss research questions for your given dig/season along with progress reports throughout the season to show how those research questions are met and/or how they change.

We are also open to other kinds of virtual assets, so if you have a great idea, please feel free to share it with us. We hope that you choose to join us in developing Virtual Archaeology at ASOR. Submissions and questions about this initiative can be directed to info@asor.org.