Excavata

A comprehensive archaeological recording app designed for fieldwork. Capture, catalogue, and analyse your excavation data — from trench to lab to publication.

Recording

  • Layer & Spit Recording
  • Context / Lot Recording
  • Surface Finds with GPS
  • Feature Recording
  • Stratigraphic Relationships
  • 9-Point Depth Grid
  • Munsell Colour Picker
  • Soil Texture Picker
  • Daily Field Notes

Cataloguing

  • Artifact Cataloguing
  • Sample Cataloguing
  • Human Remains Recording
  • Bulk Find Bags

Photography & Drawing

  • GPS-Tagged Photo Capture
  • Photo Gallery & Filtering
  • Photo Map View
  • Photo Measurement Tool
  • Plan Drawing Tool
  • Archaeological Symbol Library
  • Drawing Conventions (UK/EU/US)
  • Photo Underlays & Registration
  • Apple Pencil Support

Survey & GPS

  • Total Station WiFi Connection
  • Total Station CSV Import
  • GPS Track Recording
  • Dumpy Level Integration
  • Site Datum Management

Tools & Guides

  • Photo Board Generator
  • Dumpy Level Calculator
  • Square Layout Calculator
  • Scale Converter
  • Compass
  • Munsell Guide
  • Soil Texture Guide
  • Soil Grain Size Guide

Sync & Backup

  • Peer-to-Peer Team Sync
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Send to Desktop
  • Cloud Backup (iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox)
  • Local Backup Export

Export

  • PDF Reports
  • CSV, JSON, XML
  • GeoPackage (QGIS)
  • Heritage JSON (JSON-LD)

Other

  • Speech-to-Text Voice Input
  • Multi-Language (EN, LO, ZH)
  • Light & Dark Theme
  • Permit Management
  • In-App User Guide

Workspace

  • Three-Panel Layout
  • Site Tree Navigator
  • Inspector Panel
  • Breadcrumb Navigation
  • Resizable & Collapsible Panels

Lab Processing

  • Bulk Bag Workspace
  • Batch Artifact Recording
  • Processing Status Tracking
  • Spreadsheet-Style Editing
  • QR Label Generation

Lab Analysis

  • Faunal Analysis
  • Botanical Analysis
  • Radiocarbon (C14) Analysis
  • OSL Analysis
  • Isotope Analysis
  • Ceramic Analysis
  • Soil & Flotation Analysis
  • Pollen & Phytolith Analysis
  • Metalwork Analysis
  • Residue & Use-Wear Analysis

All Recording & Cataloguing

  • All mobile recording forms
  • All lab analysis forms
  • Artifact & Sample catalogues
  • Field visibility management
  • Excavation form generation
  • Handwriting recognition for scanned forms

Visualisation

  • Interactive Harris Matrix
  • Statistics Dashboard (4 tabs)
  • Artifact Distribution Charts
  • Faunal & Artifact Comparisons
  • Recording Completeness Metrics

Reporting

  • AI-Powered Report Assembler
  • AI Stratigraphic Narratives
  • Report Templates (Grey Lit UK)
  • Stats Appendix Builder

Figures & Photos

  • Figure Compositor
  • Figure Plate Editor
  • Figure Numbering & Captioning
  • Site Photo Gallery
  • Batch QR Label Export

Export

  • PDF, CSV, JSON, XML, SVG
  • GeoPackage (QGIS)
  • Heritage JSON (JSON-LD)
  • Excel (.xlsx)
  • PAST (Statistical Software)
  • Finds Exporter with Filters

Sync & Backup

  • Receive from Mobile
  • Network Sync
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Cloud Backup (iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox)
  • Local Backup Export

Other

  • Native Menu Bar (macOS/Windows)
  • Custom Recording Forms
  • OCR Form Scanning
  • Multi-Language (EN, LO, ZH)
  • Light & Dark Theme
  • In-App User Guide

Why Excavata?

Purpose-built tools for every stage of archaeological work.

Field Recording

Record layers, spits, contexts, and surface surveys with structured forms designed by archaeologists.

Photo Documentation

Capture photos with automatic GPS tagging and link them directly to contexts and artifacts.

Team Sync

Synchronise data between devices on-site without needing an internet connection.

Plan Drawing

Create scaled plan drawings on your tablet, right at the trench edge.

Harris Matrix

Automatically generate and visualise stratigraphic relationships on desktop.

Report Assembly

Compile reports with figures, statistics, and data exports — PDF, CSV, JSON, XML, and SVG.

Available Everywhere You Work

From the field to the lab, Excavata runs on the devices your team already uses.

iOS
Android
macOS
Windows

Ready to modernise your fieldwork?

Get in touch to learn more about Excavata or request a demo.

Contact Us