ANCHISE Demo 2: Kålmar archaeological treasure

The second ANCHISE Demonstration took place in Kalmar, Sweden, on April 1, 2025, highlighting improved tool usability, better data integration, and stronger stakeholder engagement. Hosted both at Ölands Museum Himmelsberga and Kalmar, the event included site visit, workshop, and focus group. With participation from diverse European professionals, the demonstration confirmed ANCHISE’s progress toward a replicable, user-informed toolbox for cultural heritage protection, reinforcing its practical value and long-term vision.

Welcoming remarks at the beginning of the Demo © ULL2 / ICONEM

The participants were welcomed by key local and project figures at Ölands Museum Himmelsberga: Julius Winberg Sääf (Museum Director), Olivier Henry (Université Lumière Lyon 2), Ilko Ćorković (Borgholm Head of County), Jan-Henrik Fallgren (University of Uppsala), and Titien Bartette (ICONEM). These introductory remarks contextualized the demonstration within the broader ANCHISE initiative and emphasized its goal: to create digital solutions that support heritage professionals in their daily practice.

We extend our sincere gratitude to our Swedish colleagues, Julius Winberg Sääf and Jan-Henrik Fallgren, for their invaluable support in organizing the event and for warmly welcoming us to the Ölands Museum Himmelsberga and the Ismantorp site. Their local insight and generous collaboration were key to the success of this demonstration, helping create an engaging, well-structured environment for both exploration and discussion.

Following the welcoming session, participants visited the Ismantorp archaeological site, a rare circular ringfort that served as a compelling backdrop for testing the tools. The visit provided a live context in which to observe, analyse, and evaluate how digital instruments could be applied to heritage documentation, analysis, and protection in situ. The feedback from archaeologists in this environment was crucial, especially regarding the tools’ interface usability, data quality management, and adaptability to field conditions.

Some moments from the field exploration © ICONEM

In order to better prepare for the workshop, Dr Titien Bartette conducted fieldwork at three key archaeological sites on Öland Island: Ismantorp, Sandby Borg, and Karum. Among these, Ismantorp borg was selected as the primary focus for in-depth investigation. This decision was guided by several strategic considerations: although Ismantorp is a well-documented and prominent ringfort, it has never undergone formal excavation, making it an ideal candidate for non-invasive digital analysis. Additionally, its isolated location and manageable size allowed for comprehensive aerial and ground-level documentation within a limited timeframe, offering a controlled environment to test and evaluate the tools developed under the ANCHISE project.

The afternoon opened with a workshop led by Dr Titien Bartette from ICONEM, diving deeper into the functionalities and applications of their digital solutions in archaeological contexts. It offered hands-on engagement and facilitated direct dialogue between developers and practitioners, aligning with ANCHISE’s iterative development approach.

The evaluation and focus group session, managed by Olivier Henry (Université Lumière Lyon 2), allowed participants to provide detailed feedback on the ICONEM tool, based on their use at the workshop. The session revealed both practical insights and strategic reflections, including suggestions for improving data input structures, enhancing offline tool capabilities, and increasing compatibility with archaeological databases.

The Kalmar/Öland demonstration welcomed 23 attendees, 15 women and 8 men, representing a rich mix of expertise and backgrounds. Participants came from eight different countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland, further emphasizing the project’s commitment to cross-border collaboration and cultural diversity in the development of heritage protection tools.

Olivier Henry (Université Lumière Lyon 2) concluded the day, reinforcing the project's long-term vision of creating a flexible, sustainable toolbox for cultural heritage protection. The Kalmar/Öland demonstration highlighted the value of bringing together technology and field expertise, ensuring that digital innovations are not only functional but directly useful to those safeguarding our shared heritage.