Cite this as: Hsu, Y-K. and Edmunds, R. 2026 'Persistent Identifiers: Towards the FAIRness of Archaeological Samples for Scientific Analysis', Internet Archaeology 72. https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.72.4
This paper explores how persistent identifiers (PIDs) and standardised metadata profiles can foster the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) management of archaeological samples and their associated analytical data. We begin by outlining the role of PIDs in ensuring the long-term findability of research outputs, with particular attention to the international generic sample number (IGSN ID) - a PID system specifically designed for material samples and well-suited to archaeological context. We then present the collective work of the IGSN-DataCite Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Community of Practice, which is developing an archaeology-specific metadata profile and a crosswalk recommendation to support the integration of IGSN IDs into existing research workflows. Finally, we illustrate these concepts through a case study at the Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum (DBM), Germany, where PIDs and relevant metadata schemas have been embedded into the laboratory research infrastructure, including electronic laboratory notebooks, service catalogues and data repositories. Collectively, these efforts demonstrate how PID adoption not only strengthens the FAIRness and long-term sustainability of archaeological data but also more firmly positions archaeological research within the global Open Science landscape.
Corresponding author: Yiu-Kang Hsu
[email protected]
Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum
Rorie Edmunds
DataCite
Figure 1: Digital academic resources that are commonly registered with persistent identifiers (PIDs) (image created by Yiu-Kang Hsu, licensed under CC0).
Figure 2: A landing page for a geosciences sample (IGSN: ICDP5054EHW1001: https://doi.org/10.60510/icdp5054ehw1001) published by the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences. Notice that the 'sample family’ is incorporated top-right of the landing pages.
Figure 3: An international generic sample number (IGSN ID) can be encoded as a QR code and affixed as a label to a sample housing. The label should also include human-readable information (image taken by Jens Klump, licensed under CC0).
Figure 4: An IGSN ID name is made up of a prefix beginning with '10.' and a suffix, separated by a forward slash. The prefix ensures that the IGSN ID is globally unique. The suffix can be customised to incorporate local identifiers (image created by Rorie Edmunds, licensed under CC0).
Figure 5: Process undertaken by the IGSN-DataCite Archaeology CoP to develop the Archaeological Metadata Profile and Crosswalk Recommendation. In the latter stages (green box), the CoP was careful to not 'reinvent the wheel’ (image created by Rorie Edmunds, licensed under CC0).
Figure 6: A FAIR research infrastructure for analytical data at the research laboratory of the DBM (image created by Yiu-Kang Hsu, licensed under CC0).
Table 1: A summary of the Metadata Profile Version 3.2 developed by the IGSN-DataCite Archaeology CoP. Here, M = Mandatory, R = Recommended, and O = Optional.
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