About Excavate.it
We are archaeologists and developers who believe excavation records deserve better tools. Excavate.it is how we build those tools, together with the teams who use them.
Our story
We came for the data, stayed for the archaeology
It started in 2016, when Panagiotis Kaplanis wrote his thesis with Duke Vomvyras. In 2019, our whole team met the I.DI.PO.S. team in Greece, and we began working together.
The Maligrad records were like those of any long-running excavation: handwritten diaries, Excel catalogues and photographs in folders, never brought together. The problem was not the archaeology. It was the tools.
So we put everything into one connected Notion workspace and built our own tools on top of it. We still work that way: when an excavation needs something new, we build it.
Along the way, we fell in love with archaeology. Every team we work with teaches us more.
Collaborations
The teams we worked with
These excavation teams shared their data, their knowledge, and their experience in the field while Excavate.it was being built. Their records and feedback shaped both the template and the tools we built around it.
With thanks to
Maligrad
Albania · 2019–present
- Stavros OikonomidisArcadia University, College for Global Studies Abroad, U.S.A.; President of I.DI.PO.S.; co-director of the Greek-Albanian Archaeological Expedition (2009–2022)
- Aris PapayiannisEphorate of Antiquities of Magnesia, Greece; Cashier of I.DI.PO.S.
- Akis TsonosUniversity of Ioannina (2023–2024) and Democritus University of Thrace (2020–2025), Greece; Secretary of I.DI.PO.S.
- Adem BunguriInstitute of Archaeology of Tirana, Albania; co-director of the expedition (2018–2022)
- Petrika LeraUniversity “Fan S. Noli” of Korçë, Albania; co-director of the expedition (2009–2017)
Torre dell'Alto
Italy · 2026
- Francesco IaconoDepartment of History and Cultures, University of Bologna
The team
The people behind Excavate.it
Panagiotis Kaplanis
Archaeologist
- 12 years in archaeology, more than ten projects in Greece, Italy and Albania
- At Maligrad since its first excavation season in 2009
- Maligrad, conceived in 2006, is the longest-running continuous scientific collaboration in Albania
- Leads how the Maligrad records are organised
Aris Vomvyras
Software Engineer
- Software engineer since 2018
- Deep understanding of user interfaces
- Working closely with the I.DI.PO.S. team since 2019
- Advanced Notion Certified
Duke Vomvyras
Software Engineer
- 12 years in software engineering and architecture, across several fields
- Working with Panagiotis on archaeology since 2016
- With the I.DI.PO.S. team since 2019
- Advanced Notion Certified
Ioanna Karoutzou
Graphic designer
- Deep understanding of UI and UX
- Leads the visual identity and customer-facing interfaces, for the past two years
- Curates and creates all visual content, including presentations
Activity
Talks, events and publications
Symposium
9th ARCH_RNT Symposium, Kalamata: The database we always needed. Detangling the archaeological ‘mitos’ of the excavation process
Speaker: Duke Vomvyras
Event
The diachronic role of the islet of Maligrad in Great Prespa, through the research of the Greek-Albanian Archaeological Mission, Tirana
SymposiumBest poster award
8th ARCH_RNT Symposium, Kalamata: The Greek-Albanian Archaeological Project on the islet of Maligrad, through the modern technology of the 3D models
Speaker: Panagiotis Kaplanis
Publication
Mentioned in the preliminary report of the Greek-Albanian archaeological expedition on the islet of Maligrad, Great Prespa lake, 2021 to 2022 (Candavia 10)
Where to start
Tell us how your excavation records today
The useful first conversation is not about software. It is about what your season actually runs on, what you already have piled up from previous ones, and what you have never been able to get out of it.