Computational Intelligence in Archaeology. A State-of-the Art.

Abstract

Computational (or “Artificial”) intelligence is not just about robots. It is about understanding the nature of intelligent thought and action using computers as experimental devices. It also deals with the nature of inferential mechanisms and how computer programs allow us to discover how we produce inferences. In this paper I would like to introduce some of the key points in Computational Intelligence in Archaeology, exploring the implications in our discipline, both theoretically and methodologically of Machine Learning tools and techniques. Theoretical and practical aspects of computer programs able to reproduce the same tasks archaeologists do are reviewed in this paper. The question of whether it is possible to automate the archaeological knowledge production is of both great theoretical interest and increasing practical importance because knowledge and information are being generated much faster than they can be effectively analyzed. Computable archaeology –if you do not like the expression “automatic archaeology” is the proper way of exploring new ways of answering the questions we have not yet answered.