PCMArch Database User Manual

1. What is the PCMArch Database?

The PCMArch Database was created to store documentation from archaeological and restoration projects conducted by expeditions of the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw.

2. What does it contain?

The database includes archival documentation from archaeological and restoration work carried out by PCMA UW expeditions. These records are gradually digitized and published, beginning with materials from the earliest projects dating back to the 1950s and 1960s. Most of the currently available documents were created before 1985. Exceptions include some later materials already published in monographs and documentation from sites in Syria that were damaged following the 2011 civil war.

3. How is it structured?

The PCMArch Database uses British English, which is important to keep in mind when searching using keywords (e.g., use “theatre” instead of “theater”).

Each record includes the following metadata sections:

Database ID – The record number in the PCMArch Database.
Site – The name of the excavated/restored site. For spellings of the site names, refer to the accompanying PDF. <link>.
Season – Excavation/restoration seasons may occur:
Once a year (e.g., 1981)
Spanning two years (e.g., 1981–1982)
Twice in a single year (e.g., 1981.1, 1981.2)
Title and Content – The original archival caption/description of the document in Polish, English, or French, followed by an English translation. Any information added by the editors is placed in square brackets.
Authors – Author names that are not present in the original title but are known or reconstructed are also shown in square brackets.
Date – The date the document was created.
Archival Number – The unique record number from the Documentation Archiving Department of the PCMA UW.
Original Inventory Number – The identifier assigned during fieldwork.
Number of Pieces – Number of pieces in the record.
Remarks – Any supplementary information regarding the record.
Keywords – Descriptive terms (in British English, singular) summarizing the content; typically not found in the "Title and Content" section.

Each image is accompanied by the following details:

Medium – The material on which the original document was recorded. See the PDF for abbreviations. <link>
Size – The dimensions of the document (in centimetres or standardized formats such as A4, A3).
Digital Format – The format of the digitized version (e.g., .jpg, .tif). See the PDF for abbreviations. <link>
Digital Size – File size in megabytes.

4. How to use the PCMArch Database?

Steps:

Click the Database button.
Use the Field drop-down menu to select a search category (e.g. Keywords).
In the Search for box, type your search term (e.g., Capital).
Click the Search button. Matching records will appear below.
Click a record to view its details.

Notes:

You can apply up to 10 search criteria at once.
In detailed view, click on an image to enlarge it.

5. How to request content from the PCMArch Database?

Images available in the database are in low resolution and basic format (.jpg), and include a watermark. High-resolution images in advanced formats (.tif) are available upon request, in line with internal PCMA UW regulations. All database content is protected by copyright.

To request access to high-resolution images, contact the Documentation Archiving Department (pcmarch@uw.ed.pl) or the director of the relevant PCMA UW expedition.

For a list of expeditions and their directors, visit the PCMA UW Field Projects page.

6. Contributing to the PCMArch Database

We welcome suggestions that help improve the accuracy and currency of record descriptions. Please email your feedback to: pcmarch@uw.ed.pl.