Sometimes time is truly of the essence. That is true in a natural disaster, such as when flooding threatens a city, and in providing assistance to refugees, when facilities such as gymnasiums have to be converted to emergency shelters in a hurry. Oftentimes, it is ordinary people from the local population who pitch in to help during times of crisis or disaster, contributing their time and knowledge to help first responders from the fire department or Red Cross on site.

The people of the early Iron Age – which in Central Europe falls between about 800 and 450 B.C. – buried their dead in large burial mounds. These tombs often contain valuable grave goods made from gold and other exotic materials, pointing to the power of those buried there. Researchers have called them the tombs of “Celtic princes,” but more detailed studies have led to a startling discovery. Many women, too, were buried in richly appointed surroundings.

Citing a book or essay is part of scholarly work. But what about images, collections of sources, digitized objects, 3D models, or databases, especially if they are only present in virtual form on the Internet? These kinds of research data are playing an increasingly important role in the field of studies of ancient civilizations.