EM Language: Canvas, Metadata and Epochs

▶ EM Language: Canvas, Metadata and Epochs (~~4 min)

Clip: 07 | Duration: ~4 min | Recording segment: ~33:30 → ~38:00

Prerequisites

The Archaeological Documentation Workflow

Overview

The EM canvas is the root container for all data. It carries metadata fields (human ID, author, ORCID, licence, embargo) that propagate to all leaf nodes. Epochs are swim-lane containers representing chronological or interpretive phases — they do not require absolute dates.

A fictional EM canvas showing all metadata fields.

Key Concepts

The canvas is the root node of every Extended Matrix.
Metadata set on the canvas propagates automatically to all child nodes.
Epochs are interpretive containers — they can be relative phases, not just calendar dates.
Periodization is an act of interpretation and must be traceable via paradata.

Screenshots

Metadata fields: ORCID, licence type, and embargo date.

Epochs displayed as swim lanes in the yEd graph editor.

Metadata propagation from canvas to all leaf nodes.

Try It Yourself

In yEd, create a new canvas with your site code as the human ID and add two epochs: one for construction, one for destruction.

Note

A video walkthrough for this tutorial will be available on the Extended Matrix YouTube channel.