A Tool for Understanding Taskscapes in Stone Age Coastal Hunter-Fisher-Gatherer Societies: Theoretical Aspects of Building a Relational Database (NAUTICC) for Large-Scale Analysis

This paper introduces the design process behind NAUTICC (Norms and Uses of Techniques in Prehistoric Coastal Communities), a relational database developed to collect, standardise, and analyse data related to hunter-fisher-gatherer (HFG) taskscapes across different geographical regions and chronological periods.

The database is structured around a find-oriented approach, linking material evidence to interpretative categories derived from socio-anthropological theory, such as taskscapes, tasks, and bodily techniques. The paper outlines the theoretical framework underpinning the database design, the conceptual and relational modelling process, and the tools and workflows adopted for data management and FAIR-compliant dissemination. Particular attention is given to the challenges posed by the variability of available sources and the heterogeneity of archaeological data, as well as to the methodological choices made to balance standardisation and interpretative flexibility.

NAUTICC is presented as a valuable research tool for large-scale, multi-regional and multi-period analysis, enabling the formulation of plausible archaeo-anthropological interpretations. It is currently being implemented on prehistoric coastal HFG communities in Brittany, southeastern Norway, and the Latvian coastal regions; however, its overall design remains flexible, allowing for potential future expansion to additional geographical areas and chronological periods.