The Archaeobytology Theses
A Visual Summary of the Archive & Anvil
Part I: The Archive
The Work of Excavation & Classification
1. The Trowel: The Archaeobyte
The work begins in a field of "undifferentiated dust." The digital past suffers a "crisis of noise"—overwhelming preservation without context. The first act is to create a "trowel" to make a "find."
The Archaeobyte is that trowel. It is the foundational artifact, the discrete unit of discovery pulled from the digital strata.
The Foundational Taxonomy
(The File: .mp3, .gif)
(The Ghost: "Away Message")
The Crisis of Noise
The volume of "digital dust" (data) vastly outpaces our ability to create "meaning" (context).
2. The Triage: The Microscope
Once the "find" (The Archaeobyte) is made, the "Triage" begins. This is the critical *first act* of classification, the "microscope" that turns a "find" into an "insight" by classifying its state. This act separates the living past from the fossilized past.
3. The Specimen Box: The Triage Classified
The Triage reveals three distinct classifications, each providing a core lesson. This is the "wisdom" of the Archive.
The Vivibyte (Living)
"The Living DNA / Seed Bank"
A "Living Archaeobyte" whose native function is still intact. (e.g., `.mp3`, `HTML 4.01`, `README.txt`).
Its survival is proof of its core traits.
The Umbrabyte (Liminal)
"The Fly in Amber / The Warning"
A "Liminal Archaeobyte" whose file is "living" but whose ecosystem is "petrified." (e.g., GeoCities, Vine).
The state of a GeoCities Homepage (file vs. function).
The Petribyte (Petrified)
"The Fossil of Function / The Blueprint"
A "Petrified Archaeobyte" whose function is extinct, "turned to stone." (e.g., "Away Message", "Webring").
Its native function is completely obsolete.
Part II: The Anvil
The Work of Applied Practice & Creation
4. The Anvil: The Applied Practice
The "Archive" is preservation; the "Anvil" is creation. This is the "so what." The "Anvil" is where the lessons from the Archive are forged into tools for the future. This is the craft of the Landmark Smith.
4.1: The Lessons (The "Input")
The wisdom extracted from the Archive becomes the input for the Anvil.
(from The Vivibyte)
(from The Umbrabyte)
(from The Petribyte)
4.2: The Triage Protocol (The "Process")
A formal, open-source decision engine to classify a "find" and determine its path.
Classify the artifact's state to define the preservation strategy.
Filter A: Contextual
Action: Migration
Action: Emulation
Filter B: Custodial
Action: Redact or Embargo
Action: Cite & "Fair Use"
Determine the artifact's final scholarly output and value.
4.3: The Forging Acts (The "Output")
The foundry's proprietary application, turning the "Curio" and "Landmark" paths into tangible assets.
(Reforging the Pillars)
(Output of "Curio" Path)
(Output of "Landmark" Path)
The Archive excavates wisdom. The Triage Protocol processes it. The Forging Acts create with it.
Part III: The Discipline
The Synthesis of the Work
5. The Discipline: Archaeobytology
The preceding theses define a complete system. A discipline with its own unique artifact, classification, and methodology requires its own name. "Digital Archaeology" is imprecise. The logical capstone is the synthesis of the work itself.
(The Archaeobyte)
(The Triage)
(The Anvil)