2026-09-19 / OMAR ATABANY
An open archive, without a paywall
I have dropped plans for paid downloads and paid early access. The archive stays free; commissioned work and consultation remain separate professional services.
ArchaeoArchive exists to make heritage more accessible. After thinking about what that means in practice, I have decided to remove the future payment plan entirely: no paid archive downloads, no subscriptions, and no paid early access.
An earlier version of the About section described charging for some downloads to cover capture and processing time. I have changed that decision. The archive is not going to become a shop.
What stays free
You can explore the archive and download released files without paying, making an account or giving me your personal details. Released models remain available under the licence stated on their record, including CC BY 4.0 where indicated. That licence continues to apply to reuse; you do not need to hire me to use those files.
Some records are still being reconstructed, checked or prepared for release. Permissions can also affect what I can share. An unavailable download is not a paid tier, and payment is not a way to unlock it.
What remains paid
My professional services are separate from public access to this collection. If an external organisation or individual commissions capture, reconstruction, model preparation, fabrication or consultation, that work carries a fee unless I personally agree otherwise. We agree the scope, deliverables and price before work begins.
I may choose to support a particular collaboration voluntarily. That is a personal agreement for that project, not a promise that all commissioned work is free. Paying for a service also does not automatically mean that a client's project will be published in this archive; permissions and publication are agreed separately.
Privacy is part of accessibility
You should not have to hand over personal details to look at heritage. There is no sign-up or checkout here. The new privacy policy explains the technical information involved in delivering the site, the preferences stored in your browser, and what happens if you choose to email me.
The commitment is simple: the public archive stays free, and professional work is quoted separately.