Linked data on cultural heritage: metadata for an expanding thematic domain on the semantic Web

Abstract

This work presents an ongoing doctoral research project aimed at developing a linked data model focused on Prehistory in Mexico, integrating fossil, archaeological, bibliographic, and archival objects. The proposal is grounded in the principles of the Semantic Web and seeks to achieve interoperability among various information resources related to cultural heritage. From a critical perspective, the study examines the conceptual duality of Prehistory: as a historical period (European perspective) and as a scientific discipline (American perspective), emphasizing the need to adopt the latter for a more accurate and contextualized representation of knowledge in the Latin American context. Specific objectives include identifying interdisciplinary relationships between Archaeology and Paleontology, applying standards such as CIDOC-CRM, Dublin Core, or Europeana, and reviewing existing models in academic publications. A quantitative literature review was conducted on 138 articles published between 2010 and 2024 in specialized journals (Semantic Web Journal, Journal of Web Semantics, Web of Science), classifying them by year, country, discipline, and topic. The results show that most studies come from Europe and North America, with Italy, the United States, and Portugal leading in production. Mexico presents only one notable case: the “Mexicana” repository. Additionally, specific case studies related to Archaeology were analyzed, highlighting the use of technologies such as 3D modeling, virtual reality, specialized ontologies, and climate change mitigation efforts. It is concluded that, despite regional limitations, the development of a linked data set on Prehistory represents a significant contribution to the field of digital cultural heritage, with potential for replication in similar Latin American contexts. Furthermore, the study highlights the role of heritage as a tool for humanization and collective awareness, beyond the academic framework.