Data managers as storytellers: Possible futures for archaeological data reuse.

In this presentation we make the case for reorienting approaches to the archaeological data life cycle, including the roles and responsibilities of data stakeholders (e.g., data creators, curators, depositors, managers, users, etc.), around storytelling. 
Evidenced through the work of the EU-funded Transforming Data Reuse in Archaeology project (www.tetrarchs. org) and related research, the reuse of archaeological data is highly circumscribed, enabling the circulation of stripped down records which facilitate worrisome, denuded narratives about the past.
A more concerted approach to archaeological data management that overtly embraces storytelling at all stages in the data life cycle has the potential to constructively impact not only wider public engagements with the data, but also archaeologists’ own professional interpretations and working experiences.