Data Legacies, Epistemic Anxieties, and Digital Imaginaries in Archaeology

Archaeology operates in an increasingly data-mediated world which data drive knowledge and actions about people things. Famously, has been characterized as “the new oil”, underpinning modern economies at the root of many technological transformations society large, even assuming a near-religious power over thought action. As call for this Special Issue recognizes, archaeological research is socially historically situated consequently influenced by these same broader developments. In archaeology, wider world, foundation knowledge, but its capacity rarely reflected upon. This paper offers just such reflection: meditation on nature digital challenges (re)use. It asks what we understand data: etymology comprehension, exceptionality mutability, constructs infrastructures, origins consequences. The concept imaginary introduced to better approaches collection use data, case study examines how mediated remediated through embedded grey literature. Appreciating volatility unpredictability key understanding potential reuse creation knowledge.