In recent years, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have radically evolved the way in which spatial data are collected, analyzed and interpreted. Because of their characteristics, GIS have become useful applications for archaeologists. The appearance of gvSIG, with a complete suite of GIS solutions in open source software, has meant that more and more professionals in the sector are adopting gvSIG as a working tool.
However, there is still a wide ignorance of the potential of GIS in archaeology, and there are only a few free teaching materials that allows training in its use. For these reasons, from the gvSIG Association, we launch a course that will allow to know of these technologies. A free course, with open source software (gvSIG Desktop).
In this first post we want to present the main characteristics of the course, together with the first video-tutorial. As of January 2019, we will publish all the modules weekly until the agenda is completed. To follow the course, it is recommended that participants have prior knowledge about how archaeological projects are carried out.
Registration of the course and how it works
It is not necessary to register anywhere. The course is online and can be followed from anywhere in the world. The course will be available in English and Spanish.
Each week we will publish a post on this blog that will contain a video-tutorial with exercises and access to the course data. Therefore, you only need to follow the video-tutorials to complete the course.
For doubts or problems in the use of software, or about the exercises, you can use the gvSIG users mailing list:
http://www.gvsig.com/en/community/mailing-lists
List of topics
The list of topics is composed of 7 modules. Each module will contain a video-tutorial with practical exercises. The data to follow the course can be downloaded in a .zip file from this link.
- Preparation of an archaeological project: views, layers and tables
- Create geographic information: Alphanumeric information and digitalization
- Prospecting results analysis: Vector geoprocesses
- Managing old maps: Georeferencing of images
- Reservoir territorial analysis: Raster geoprocesses and digital terrain models (MDT)
- Hydrological analysis to locate materials or archaeological sites
- Graphical output of an archaeological project: Maps
And if you want to get a certificate?
Such as in other previous courses that we have published, many of you asked us about the possibility to obtain a certificate. To cover this possibility, at the end of the course we will publish a practical exercise to be solved, and to demonstrate that you have acquired the knowledge imparted during the course. This exercise is completely optional, only for those who want to get the certification.
To pay for the evaluation time of the exercises and the issuance of the certificate, apart from delivering the correctly solved exercise, 25 € will have to be paid. The way of payment will be indicated at the end of the course.
Note: The information about how to get the certification and the links to the complete course is available at this link.
Module 1: Preparation of an archaeological project: Views, layer and tables
Ready? Well, let’s start with the first topic, where besides learning where to download gvSIG Desktop – the software that we will use for the course – we will see how to prepare an archaeological project working with the main components of a GIS: Views, layers and tables.
Note: The webpage where the Zurick WMS appeared has changed. The WMS that you have to connect from gvSIG is: http://wms.zh.ch/OrthoZHWMS?
Alvaro
adelrey
Alegria
asoredesocial2006
Augusta
christinesig
cordin
csanper
danielvicb
dispiste
edmarmoretti
elenasanchez232
eliazerk
fjsolis
Gabi
ggowtham
Giuliano Ramat
Valenty
Georg Sedlmeir
hydrologiclady
jgalans
Joaquin del Cerro
Juan Lucas Domínguez Rubio
jolicar
josebadia
Jorge Piera Llodrá
Jordi Torres
Chevi
learozz
leoruizb
Alonso Morilla
Lluís Marqués
martapacoret
Óscar Martínez
mateoboudon
Mario
mjlobato76
Manuel
mmontesinos
moovida
Nacho Varela
nbrodin
André
piotrpachol
psanxiao
Rostislav Netek
Sergio Acosta y Lara
Spatioblog
Sergio Acosta y Lara
uliwerz
Victor Acevedo
Viqui
volaya
gvSIG blog 
I am interested and would like to sign up.
Hello, the course is free and any registration is required. You only have to follow the videos that will be published at this blog.
At this post you have the first module available.
I am in! Thanks!
Me too but the presenter needs to slow down a bit for non experienced GIS users and if possible show more slowly and clearly what buttons he is pushing. Thank you for the course.
I enjoyed the first module but could not get the WMS data for Zurich to copy and paste into the GIS.
Hi Steve, it seems that the website has changed the format and they don’t include the WMS URL directly. You can connect to:
http://wms.zh.ch/OrthoZHWMS?
We are going to add the information at the video and at the post. Thanks for the information.
Thank you so much for your help with this GIS. I completed a course at an Australian Uni and ended up knowing less than when I started. I really enjoy the way the course is structured. Congratulations!!
Hi I tried the suggest WMS URL but it still wont connect. Also when I add a layer and click on WMS I am unable to paste in a web address for some reason. I have to manually type in the URL.
Hi Steve, the WMS URL is working now (with and without “?” at the end). I thinh that the problem was the server at that moment, or that there was an error at the URL (uppercase, a letter…). I’m using “Paste” option copying the URL before in Ubuntu and it’s working, and I did it in Windows too and it worked. But I use “Ctrl. + V” to paste it on gvSIG, not the contextual menu. Does it work?
Thank you for your kind words! We’re glad to hear that you are enjoying the course. This week we are going to publish the practical exercise to get the certificate.
Hi Mario The course and support is absolutely brilliant. I hope the course can be onsold or at least incorporated into academic programs worldwide. Congratulations to your team and your institution!!
Thank you Steve! We hope to continue improving the application and offering new courses.
If you use gvSIG for your work we would be able to add your project at gvSIG Case studies website: http://box5589.temp.domains/~gvsigorg//category/sectors/archaeology-and-heritage
It will be very useful for other users to see how they can use gvSIG.
In that case you would have to fill in this template and send it to info@gvsig.com: http://downloads.gvsig.org/download/documents/usecases/gvSIG-Case_study-template.doc
Thanks!
great . I am interested
Hi Basel, the course is free and any registration is required. You only have to follow the videos that will be published at this blog.
At this post you have the first module available.
donde encuentro la version en espanol del modulo 1?
https://blog.gvsig.org/2018/12/19/curso-gratuito-sig-aplicados-a-arqueologia/
Mac version gvSIG-1.11.0-RC1.app crashes on launch:
Dyld Error Message:
Symbol not found: _iconv
Referenced from: /usr/lib/libmecabra.dylib
Expected in: /Applications/gvSIG-1.11.0-RC1.app/Contents/MacOS/libiconv.2.dylib
in /usr/lib/libmecabra.dylib
Hi Robert, gvSIG 1.11 is a very old version. The latest one is gvSIG 2.4. Have you installed it? You can do it from http://www.gvsig.com/en/products/gvsig-desktop/downloads
If it doesn’t work you can try with this: https://nuvol.uv.es/owncloud/index.php/s/PKUYXd2xeWIt2kH
Hi, this is a good idea and I have just started it, however I am having problems adding .shp files in gvSIG, as soon as I click on the Counties_Zurich_21781.shp for the first part of the lesson it shuts down the whole program, I have re- downloaded the winzip file and extracted but still have the same issue. Please help I really want to do this course.
Hi Bernadette, the developers would need more information about the error. For that you can send the gvSIG.log file to the mailing list. Here you can see how to get that fila and how to register at the list: https://blog.gvsig.org/2015/06/17/what-to-do-when-we-get-an-error-in-gvsig/
Pingback: Curso Gratuito: SIG aplicados a Arqueología | gvSIG blog
It seems that the video stops at 20:09 when you added the orthophoto of zurich.
I like the idea of that course very much and would be interested in the rest of this lesson.
Hi Josef, thanks for the information. The video has been updated and it’s complete now: https://youtu.be/ycjRH-5Ck_A
It’s a very good project to teach the learners and to learn Archaeology.
great . I am interested
Hi Zohaib, the course is free and any registration is required. You only have to follow the videos that will be published at this blog.
At this post you have the first module available.
I am intrested
Hi Gosai, the course is free and any registration is required. You only have to follow the videos that will be published at this blog.
At this post you have the first module available.
great work
Hello good evening Mario, I have downloaded the gvsig software on my computer, pinned it to my taskbar but it doesnt open, is there something I havent done well. kindly advise, I am interested in the course and need to get all required ready prio to the date.
Hi Amadi, are you using installable or portable version? It would be recommendable that you send the problem with all the required information to find what happens to the mailing list. At this post you can see the files that developers would need and how to register at the mailing list: https://blog.gvsig.org/2015/06/17/what-to-do-when-we-get-an-error-in-gvsig/
Pingback: Digitalizing prospection areas. GIS applied to Archeology | gvSIG blog
Hello, Mario! I have to create the layer coords_Sternenschanze message appears: “Cant loader layer coords_Sternenschanze. The layer don’t has a geometry column”. What can be done?
Hi Sergey! Have you changed to Geometry tab and selected the X and Y fields? It’s shown at this point of the video: https://youtu.be/ycjRH-5Ck_A?t=1252
After adding a link to the file, the “properties”option does not work. So I can’t selected the X and Y fields
Instead of adding the link to the file try to access to the corresponding folder and select the file directly there (like in the video). It should work.
I am interested..
Hello Alka, the course is free and any registration is required. You only have to follow the videos that will be published at this blog.
At this post you have the first module available, and the video of the second module has been published today: https://blog.gvsig.org/2019/01/03/digitalizing-prospection-areas-gis-applied-to-archeology/
I Tried. The result is the same
The “properties” option does not work
I tried another file .csv. Also failed
Could you send the gvSIG.log file with the error information to the mailing list? At this post you can see how to get that file and register at the mailing list: https://blog.gvsig.org/2015/06/17/what-to-do-when-we-get-an-error-in-gvsig/
Excellent!
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Hello, when I download symbols they do not show up when in Symbol selector when I want to add them on the map, but I can see them in the Symbology in the Tools menu. Why is this? Thank you
Ok, no problem, I solved it, sorry
Excellent!
Thank you. Lesson 1 successfully followed. When can we expect lesson 2?
Great!
Yes, you can find lessons 2 and 3 here: https://blog.gvsig.org/?s=%22GIS+applied+to+Archeology%22 (Lesson 2: Digitalizing prospection areas; Lesson 3: Analysis of prospection results: Vector geoprocessing).
And this week we will publish module 4.
Enjoy it!
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I am Indian…and I have taken science group…..now I am in 12th and I am interested in archeology from my childhood….but due to lack of group in my school I was not able to take archeology group in 11th…now can iSTUDY ARCHEOLOGY….IF YES…..THEN WHAT SHOULD I DO…AND CAN I GO TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES AMD WORK THERE???.WHAT IS THE SALARY RANGE IN INDIA ANd IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES??
Hi Mario, I don’t understand how to change the color of the archaeological symbol (the anphore). What is the path to do on the computer? Thank you for this very interesting course!
Hi Cristiana, when you load that symbol library (OSM), the symbols are composed of two files, the original one and the “_sel” one. The second one is the first one but in yellow colour, so when you select elements on the View, the “sel” symbol is shown. The path in the computer for the symbols is:
Installable version: C:\Users\[your-user]\gvSIG/plugins/org.gvsig.app.mainplugin/Symbols
Portable version: /preferences/gvSIG/plugins/org.gvsig.app.mainplugin/Symbols folder of the portable version
How would you name this course/certificate on a resume?
Hi Linn,
we would name “Geographic Information Systems applied to archaeology”.
At this link you can find all the modules and the certification: https://blog.gvsig.org/2019/02/14/free-course-about-geographic-information-systems-applied-to-archaeology-certification-and-links-to-the-complete-course/
http://wms.zh.ch/OrthoZHWMS
El navegador no acepta el enlace. Y escribe (inseguro)
¿Has conectado desde gvSIG Desktop? Yo acabo de conectar sin problemas. Comprueba que no estés añadiendo algún espacio al principio o al final.