but the ongoing issue is whether archaeologists using this technology are merely obtaining pretty pictures or whether these graphic renderings will be of any assistance in the process of deriving better interpretations of the data. That computer-generated graphics can offer much more to archaeology than just pretty pictures is a position that has been adopted by various enthusiasts of these techniques. The insight that can be gained in terms of the social and political relationships reflected in the use of space, and even the construction of detailed models of the actual excavation process of archaeological sites for educational and analytical purposes, have been highlighted as obvious advantages.

What is immediately apparent is that computer graphics can increase public attention with regard to archaeology. The models represent a powerful and persuasive means of conveying to a much wider public the ideas and interpretations that the archaeologist distills from the data. For museums, computer graphics offer the possibility to enhance the way in which collections are presented to the public, for computer-generated graphics can allow the visitor to view the site from various perspectives—a bird’s-eye view, walk around it, walk inside it—and thus obtain a more comprehensive impression of how the site may have been seen by its original users. Equally important, three-dimensional documentation of heritage structures can offer great advantages for the referencing and archiving undertaken by government agencies in charge of managing cultural resources.

Computers and Archaeological Knowledge

Although the creation of impressive images and the expeditious and effective manipulation of huge databases are without doubt of great appeal, archaeologists who embrace this technology should proceed with caution. They have to be aware that the sophisticated presentation of data may blind the uncritical eye to the fact that only a minuscule part of the whole may have been captured—and that it may represent our own subjective perception of that reality.

The very nature of the interpretative illustrations of archaeological sites and monuments generated by computer graphics has sparked an increasing amount of discussion. These discussions have centered mainly on the implicit assumption that the images are an all-inclusive, accurate interpretation of the past while, in fact, they may lack a rigorous scientific basis and perhaps represent more of the artist’s impression.

It is undeniable that information technology is making groundbreaking contributions to archaeology, but it is not known how exactly this “new” technology impacts archaeological theory and what the consequences will be in terms of production and the dissemination of knowledge. Since the first incorporation of the computer as an analytical tool, in the midst of the paradigmatic shift that the processual archaeology was generating, there was an awareness on the part of some people of the growing need to have dual and simultaneous advances in method and theory.

The relationship between technological development and theory development is akin to what has been identified by some scholars as the interaction between tools and problems. Archaeologists now have access to a revolutionary tool that can handle enormous quantities of data, the computer, but tools can acquire a life of their own, computers in the information age may even come to dominate an entire period of thought. Throughout the history of science we see instances in which the solution to specific problems was delayed by the lack of appropriate tools to address the relevant issues. On the other hand, the availability of certain tools has allowed us to perceive problems, and formulate questions, that otherwise might have remained unidentified. This improved perception can lead to the formulation of new questions that may have a considerable impact on the development of our theoretical underpinnings.

The challenge of this age of information according to its proponents is the “democratization” of knowledge. In other words, not only will the information age facilitate communication among scholars, but it is hoped that it will actually promote international cooperation in archaeological issues.

The democratization of knowledge is an issue that looms large in the minds of those archaeologists who are fully engaged in bringing archaeology up to speed in the information age. It has