Digitisation and Data Management of Archaeological Heritage in Serbia (1991-2020)

Abstract

In the Republic of Serbia, digitisation of cultural heritage was recognised as a segment of cultural development, while the digitisation process is understood as part of a complex system of managing cultural heritage in institutions of protection, such as museums, institutes for the protection of cultural heritage etc. By focusing on the issue of electronic/digital archaeological heritage management in Serbia's institutes for protection, this article briefly describes the national framework of archaeology in the country and presents some crucial moments in the journey towards digitisation and electronic management of archaeological heritage in Serbia since the 1990s. It also discusses recent efforts by the Ministry of Culture and Information in terms of regulating the procedure of cultural heritage digitisation and establishing a common information system. Finally, it identifies current challenges in archaeological data management in cultural heritage institutions and briefly discusses possible future scenarios.