Digital Minds or Digital Mines?
Digitality and Archaeology
As part of the annual conference of the Associations for Archaeological Research in Frankfurt (Oder), a fishbowl discussion entitled ‘Digital Minds or Digital Mines? Digitality and Archaeology’ will take place on 9 September 2025 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event is a collaboration between AG Theorien in der Archäologie e.V. (TidA), the Propylaeum Specialized Information Service and NFDI4Objects.
Digital concepts and technologies such as AI, open access and data management have long been part of everyday academic life and are fundamentally changing routines and ways of thinking in research. In archaeology, too, various digital formats such as virtual reality and hybrid teaching methods, as well as AI-supported text and image processing, have found their way into scientific work. However, while new digital actors are creating new opportunities with diverse potential, there has been little in-depth theoretical discussion of the influences, effects and consequences of this ‘digitisation’. Questions such as ‘Does digitalisation change not only the methodological apparatus, but also the way we think, ask questions, provide answers and validate them – and thus also theoretical work and archaeology as a whole?’ will be addressed in a moderated, open and participatory discussion format.
The following individuals have been invited to participate in the discussion and will shed light on the topic from different perspectives (research, teaching, museums, IT, etc.):
Julian Laabs (University of Leipzig, Junior Professor of Digital Archaeology of Central Europe), Marion Bolder-Boos (University of Mainz/Darmstadt, Academic Network ‘Digital Competences in Archaeology [DiKopA]’), Doreen Mölders (Frankfurt Historical Museum, Director), Sophie C. Schmidt (FU Berlin, Berlin Antiquity College) and Fabian Fricke (German Archaeological Institute & NFDI4Objects). The event is organised and moderated by Stephanie Renger (Heidelberg University Library, Propylaeum & NFDI4Objects) and Martin Renger (University of Mainz, Profile Area ‘Challenges’ & Spokesperson for the TidA Working Group).
Further information on content and format can be found here.
To register and view the full programme of the annual conference, please click on the following link.