Folia archeologica 44.

Kovács S. Tibor: Török hatás a magyar fegyvereken a 15-17. században

244 REZI-KATÓ GÁBOR First some comments are made on GIS systems in general to bring special archaeological applications more understandable. The significance of GIS systems s.s. compared to simple databases is their spatial dimension, i.e., handling sites, objects in their geographical context. Thus apart from traditional analysis, spatial relations can be studied as well, like a heap of operations which can be performed on the basic data set. Definition of GIS incorporates data, software, hardware environment and the operating organisation and personnel. The organic unity of these four elements makes up a working system. Seen and interpreted from the point of archaeology we can say that a topographical system created in GIS allows, apart from routine processes like queries, summaries, basic statistics, special features originating from the possibilities of a digital map. Site and features, finds get a new, spatial dimension: distance from another site, watercourses, roads, height above sea level or special geographic information like soil type, climate etc. 'All these data can be referred to like any other (e.g., archaeological) data, enlarging the number of possible analyses and relations. The Archaeological Spatial Information System (in the followings: ASIS) developed in the Hungarian National Museum aims at working towards a nationwide system based 011 archaeological collections.

5 The system aims at having a global view on site and finds within reasonable time and, at the same time, allow the possibility of analysis 011 a local scale. Correspondingly, the resolution of the ASIS base map was set at 1:100000 scale. The digital background contains, for the time being, data of sites identified on the level of modern settlements. Apart from site information, 25 different levels of mapped information is included.

6 The system has different levels of data and access which is quite common for databases 011 a nation-wide level. The tasks which can be performed by the user are defined according to the levels accessible. Overview level comprises the whole territory of Hungary. Traditional database operations can be performed 011 full text of the information supplied and there is a possibility to append, update and delete graphical information as well. The user can jump from overview level to regional level several ways: by selecting a working area using a graphical pointing device (Fig. 1 ), by entering the name of a modern settlement, region or administrative unit (e.g., county) and a defined radius of interest. O11 the regional level, the individual sites are connected to the location of modern settlements, because the scale used does not allow to put them on their real geographic location. The sites are listed by settlements (Fig. 2). Apart from text information stored in the database, other types of information can be attached to the system. One natural connection is database of finds and features from the settlements in 'full text' files (e.g. excavation diaries), images, drawings (in vector or pixel form), even motion picture (video) information.

7 "flie most detailed level of the system is the level of individual sites where data input postulates a survey in 1:1000-1:500 scale, presenting the immediate vicinity and site plan. The several levels of the GIS system presented here allow the construction of an archaeologically adequate database where overview level covers 1 For this purpose, we have to dispose of the corresponding map layer. The basic software for ASIS is GreenLine ver. 4.2 (© Geoview Systems LTD.), working 011 OS/2 platform. 1

5 Current layers include: paved road, earth road, motorway, highway, railroad, electrical railroad, motorway labels, highway labels, region labels, settlement labels (village, farm, cities), watercourses and their labels (small watercourses, medium watercourses, rivers), counties, county limits, national borders, lakes, municipial areas. 7 Types of data relevant to finds correspond to data types of siets.