COMPUTERS AND

STATISTICS IN
ARCHAEOLOGY
Week 6. The Geodatabase:
adding attributes and
querying spatial data

© Richard Haddlesey www.medievalarchitecture.net

 The Geodatabase

 A database is a collection of
information that is structured and
recorded in a consistent manner

Conolly and Lake 2006, 51

 The Geodatabase
 A DBMS
• Quick access to, and the ability to select
subsets of data, potentially by several
users at the same time
• A facility for inputting, editing and
updating data
• The ability to define and enforce rules
• Protect data against unintentional
destruction

Conolly and Lake 2006, 51

 The Geodatabase

 A GIS program needs to store,

manage and retrieve both
geographical and attribute data

 Attribute data can be added in

ArcView or externally in MS Access
 Normalisation
 Flat file

Conolly and Lake 2006, 52

 Normalisation
 Relational structure

Conolly and Lake 2006, 52

 Normalisation
 http://www.utexas.edu/its/windows/database/datamodeling/rm/overview.html

 Conolly and Lake 2006, 51-5