Frank FÖRSTER1 / Reinhold GOSS2
(1University of Cologne, Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, African Archaeology Department, Cologne, Germany / 2ONEF1LE – database + internet application development, Cologne, Germany)

Keywords: prehistoric rock art; database driven documentation, visualisation and analysis

Abstract:
With more than 8,000 drawings in a single rock shelter, the so-called ‚Cave of Beasts’ in southwestern Egypt, only discovered in 2002, ranges among the most important prehistoric rock art sites in the Sahara. The exceptional wealth of images challenges efforts to record all the individual motifs and their main characteristics (such as colour, size and style, orientation, shown posture and action, superimpositions, body decoration, etc.) in a detailed and systematic way. Making such an inventory a structured base for further analytical studies requires employing specific software tools. ‚CaveOne’© is an innovative database driven computer system based on FileMaker© that was developed for this purpose within the scope of the Wadi Sura Project at the University of Cologne.
This system, although developed specifically for the documentation of rock art, is applicable for the recording, postprocessing and scientific evaluation of any other archaeological findings. It allows to record a huge amount of objects and selected object data in short time, even under difficult lighting conditions. Every given attribute of an object can be commented upon and be connected with value-lists that can be adapted or broadened at any time. The notation of superimpositions and possible interactions with other objects or figures, as well as the allocation to individual grid systems and photographs are essential functions. The possibility of a concurrent working on one database is given by the network ability (PC, Mac, iOS, e.g. iPad) – this both in fieldwork as well as in the following processing and evaluation of the data. Another option of the application is an open or restricted access via the internet/web browser. Moreover, various interfaces enable the system to be connected to additional frameworks, such as for 2D and 3D data visualisation.

•          Wadi Sura Project at the University of Cologne (UoC): http://wadisura.phil-fak.uni-koeln.de/