GeoNode for Mare Nostrum LAB

Archaeological fieldwork generates a wide range of spatial data, including orthophotos, elevation models, excavation plans, survey points and mapped features. GeoNode brings these resources together in a single searchable catalogue, alongside maps and supporting documentation.

Each resource has its own page with a description, access and download options, and a map preview where appropriate. Datasets, maps and documents remain distinct resource types, preserving the information needed to interpret and reuse them. This gives project members one place to discover the spatial materials produced during fieldwork.

Datasets can be previewed individually or combined into interactive maps, for example by overlaying an excavation plan on the orthophoto of the corresponding trench. Saved maps can be shared with project members and explored directly in the browser, while GIS specialists continue to work with the same layers in desktop software.

Metadata describes the content, origin and conditions of use of each dataset, including its title, abstract, temporal coverage, responsible parties, spatial extent and licence. The Mare Nostrum LAB extension adds vocabulary fields for archaeological terminology from the Mare Nostrum LAB Thesaurus and place references from Wikidata or the World Historical Gazetteer.

Users add terms through a search dialog that queries the external vocabularies in the background. Each tag links to a uniquely identified entry, preventing ambiguity between places or concepts with similar names and keeping descriptions connected to the wider platform.

Excavation data are often recorded in local site grids that are not recognised by standard GeoNode. The Mare Nostrum LAB extension reads the coordinate reference system from the dataset's projection file, registers it where necessary, and transforms vector and raster data to WGS 84 (EPSG:4326) during import. This allows local survey data to align with other layers and basemaps in the web map.

The import requires a projection definition with a complete set of parameters; data without a usable definition must be georeferenced before upload. The platform also identifies the data format during import and records it in a dedicated field, supporting consistent filtering of resources such as GeoTIFFs, Shapefiles, GeoPackages, GeoJSON, KML and CSV files.

GeoNode publishes layers through GeoServer using standard OGC web services. QGIS and other GIS applications can connect directly through WMS for rendered maps, WFS for vector features and WCS for raster data and cell values.

The available service depends on the data type: an orthophoto can be displayed through WMS, while excavation features can be loaded through WFS for further analysis. Access permissions are applied consistently in the browser and in external software, so restricted resources remain available only to authorised users.

GeoNode describes resources using ISO 19115 metadata encoded in ISO 19139 XML and supports INSPIRE-compliant metadata. These standards help make spatial resources discoverable and support exchange with other catalogues. Access to the catalogue and metadata is available through a REST API. This allows users to automate management operations like uploading resources, strictly in accordance with assigned permissions.