Evidence Standards & Provenance

High‑quality documentation and transparent sourcing are core principles of the Evidence Atlas. These standards ensure that each piece of evidence can be evaluated, verified, and compared reliably.

On this page: Principles Submission rules Examples Join Founding Access

Core Principles

What makes evidence trustworthy and usable within the Atlas.

Evidence with Provenance

Every item must include clear origin metadata: who documented it, when, where, and from what source.

Citation Transparency

Sources must be cited explicitly — publications, field notes, archives — so others can trace the information.

Labeling & Interpretation

Interpretations and claims must be labeled clearly as observation, inference, or hypothesis.

Detailed Rules for Submissions

Consistency in how data are recorded and labeled makes the Atlas analyzable and reusable.

1) Provenance Fields Are Mandatory: Submitter name / handle, date of documentation, geographic coordinates, and source type must be complete for every evidence item.

2) Evidence Types Must Be Tagged: Photos, sketches, measurements, and citations must carry a type tag so others know what they’re looking at.

3) Observation vs Interpretation: Clearly separate what was observed (photos, measurements) from what is inferred; use the appropriate label.

4) Source Transparency: If an item references a publication or archive, include page, figure, or section references where applicable.

5) Uncertainty Labels: When evidence is ambiguous, include an uncertainty rating (e.g., low / medium / high) and a short justification.

Examples of Well‑Labeled Evidence

Visual examples showing how evidence items are captured and labeled in practice.

Baalbek Trilithon

Photograph with clear metadata (location, date, photographer) — labeled as primary evidence.

Evidence UI Screenshot

Shows how metadata and labels are displayed alongside evidence items.

Claim Link Example

Evidence linked within a claim thread with clear distinctions between observation and interpretation.