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| PastMap | |
|---|---|
| Name | PastMap |
| Title | PastMap |
| Developer | University of Glasgow |
| Released | 1990s |
| Programming language | Java (programming language), JavaScript |
| Operating system | Cross-platform software |
| License | Proprietary software |
PastMap is a geographic information system developed to visualise historical maps and archaeological datasets over modern cartography. The project links archaeological sites, industrial remains, and heritage records to spatial layers so scholars and citizens can explore temporal change across Scotland, United Kingdom, and selected international regions. PastMap integrates cartographic sources, archival records, and scholarly datasets to support research in archaeology, urban history, and landscape archaeology.
PastMap originated at the University of Glasgow in the 1990s as part of a collaboration involving staff from the Department of Archaeology, the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, and external partners such as the Ordnance Survey. Early development coincided with digitisation initiatives undertaken by institutions like the National Library of Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland; these collaborations shaped initial scope and licensing. Funding rounds involved agencies including the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund, and the project evolved alongside international efforts such as the Archaeological Data Service and the Digital Humanities movement.
PastMap’s technical stack blends client-side interfaces with server-side geographic services, using standards championed by organisations such as the Open Geospatial Consortium and software approaches from projects like Google Maps and OpenStreetMap. Core features include tiled map layers, temporal sliders, attribute queries, and layered legends that reference datasets from the National Museums Scotland and university collections. The interface supports spatial querying, export of selected features for use in packages like ArcGIS and QGIS (software), and integration with metadata standards promoted by the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the Dublin Core community.
Datasets integrated into PastMap draw from archival map series such as the Ordnance Survey six-inch and twenty-five-inch maps, estate plans held by the National Records of Scotland, and excavation reports deposited with the Archaeology Data Service. Methodological workflows combine georeferencing historic cartography with vectorisation of features, quality-controlled by professionals associated with institutions like the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Provenance and metadata practices align with initiatives from the Digital Curation Centre and adhere to cataloguing conventions used by the British Library and the Historic Environment Scotland archive.
PastMap has been used in academic projects examining urbanisation in Glasgow, industrial archaeology of the Forth and Clyde Canal, landscape change in the Scottish Highlands, and heritage management near sites like Stirling Castle and Edinburgh Castle. Public-facing uses include museum exhibitions curated by the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery and educational programmes run with partners such as Historic Scotland and local councils. Researchers have exported spatial layers for modelling in environments pioneered by teams at University College London and University of Cambridge to test hypotheses about settlement patterns, transport networks related to the Caledonian Railway, and demographic shifts illustrated by census layers maintained by the National Records of Scotland.
Scholars in fields represented by the Society for Historical Archaeology and the European Association of Archaeologists have cited PastMap for enabling reproducible spatial analyses and improving access to cartographic heritage. Cultural organisations including the National Trust for Scotland and the British Museum have referenced PastMap-style visualisations when communicating site histories to the public. Critiques have focused on interoperability challenges highlighted by the Open Data Institute and on licensing tensions with commercial publishers such as Ordnance Survey and some university presses.
Development cycles mobilised academic teams from the University of Glasgow, technical contractors experienced with Esri products, and data partners like the National Library of Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland. Major funding came from bodies including the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund, and institutional budgets from the University of Glasgow. Collaborative grants often involved consortia with organisations such as the Archaeology Data Service and regional archives, and development has periodically drawn on students and researchers funded through awards like the Economic and Social Research Council studentships.
Category:Geographic information systems Category:Archaeological databases Category:University of Glasgow