FAQ

PHOTARCH is a standardised photographic method and curated database for archaeological artefacts. Every object in the archive is documented using the same controlled setup — lighting, angle, background, scale — so that images can be compared across collections, institutions, and time. The result is a machine-readable visual dataset, not just a photo gallery.

Primarily archaeologists, museum professionals, conservators, and researchers who need reliable visual documentation of objects. It is also useful for institutions that want their collections documented to a consistent standard and made openly accessible. Public access is free — no account required to browse the archive.

Unstandardised photography makes comparison impossible. An object photographed against a grey background at one institution looks fundamentally different from the same type of object documented on a black backdrop at another. PHOTARCH fixes the variables — background, lighting angle, colour reference, scale — so that visual data becomes comparable in the way that written metadata already is.

The method uses a controlled diffuse light environment, a neutral white background, a calibrated colour reference target, and a physical scale. Objects are documented from standardised angles: top view (TOP) as the primary, with additional views — front, back, left, right, detail — documented as needed. All images are captured as RAW and delivered as TIFF and JPEG derivatives.

Yes. All objects in the archive are published openly. Images and metadata can be browsed and referenced without an account. Higher-resolution downloads, TIFF exports and the research tools need an account, which is free.

Not directly. PHOTARCH only publishes images captured according to the method — the point is precisely that all images share the same controlled conditions.

Each object record includes: inventory number, object type, material, technique, dimensions (physical, derived from the photographic scale), find context, institution, collection, period, and geolocation where applicable. Technical image metadata — resolution, colour profile, file format, capture date — is also stored.

Yes. Every object in the archive has a persistent ARK identifier (NAAN 73195), designed for stable long-term citation in publications and databases. The identifier will resolve even if the URL structure of the platform changes.

Credit images as: By PHOTARCH. If citing a specific object, include the ARK identifier alongside the credit.

Nothing. The archive is an open commons: browsing needs no account at all, and a free account unlocks image downloads (JPEG with embedded metadata and scale, and TIFF masters), favourites, collections, canvases, private-link sharing, comparison with scale alignment, ICC profiles and bulk CSV export. There is no subscription for individuals. Institutions working as a team use the organisation subscription that covers the capture tools. What an account gets you →

PHOTARCH publishes images under open access terms. The photographic documentation produced by PHOTARCH is made freely available for research, education, and publication. Copyright in the physical objects themselves remains with the owning institution, and objects are published with the institution's knowledge and agreement.

PHOTARCH is developed and operated by Arkeologibyrån, a part of DLD — a Swedish sole trader specialising in archaeological film and visual documentation. The method was developed by Daniel Lindskog, a photographer and archaeologist, to address the absence of a consistent photographic standard in the field.

Write to info@photarch.com.