1. A discrete unit of digital information originating from a past technological epoch, formally known as an Archaeobyte.
2. A tangible file or conceptual ghost that requires deliberate excavation, triage, and preservation to prevent its loss.
3. The foundational unit of study within the discipline of Archaeobytology, further classified by its functional state.
A living digital artifact whose native function remains intact and executes seamlessly in the current ecosystem.
A liminal artifact trapped in a dead ecosystem. The file itself is alive, but its interactive functions and context are extinct.
A petrified artifact whose function is entirely extinct. It requires obsolete software or lost cultural contexts to interpret.
Digital artifacts do not preserve themselves. They require a rigorous methodology, a technical framework, and a philosophical commitment to the provenance of the web.
Enter Archaeobytology.orgThe Official Discipline & Curriculum