JISC Final Report: Concordia:

Research output: Book/ReportCommissioned report

Abstract

Within humanities the field of Classics - history, literature and archaeology - is one where digital activities have been particularly lively. There is a defined body of material, which is growing steadily; and there are existing conventions developed over many centuries for presenting such material. There is also an interested community spread all over the globe. It is however also true that there are plenty of scholars who view digital resources with considerable suspicion. In the end such people will only be won over by being given tools which work fairly simply, and which deliver information that they actually want. Initial publications have been well-received, but each scholar demands more functionalities

The aim of this project was to build on existing relationships, and to work together to increase the usability of a cluster of digital resources, which present a range of documentary information. The most obvious of these is a publication of about 1000 Roman inscribed texts from western Libya (Tripolitania). The underlying purpose of this digitisation was however to develop a suite of new tools and protocols, focusing on bringing scattered bodies of material together, and allowing scholars to juxtapose and use them in new ways.

Finally we intended to continue to expand the community of engaged scholars, to use these tools, evaluate and improve them, and build more. The element which will attract most immediate attention from classical scholars is the publication (on 22 September 2009) of the enhanced digital edition of the Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania. This is a resource which scholars need, and will use; it is the work of a known and trusted scholar. Most users will prefer to remain ignorant of the protocols and tools behind the new edition. But the arrival of one more body of digitised materials online should allow us to demonstrate some of the tools which we have been developing, and to encourage scholars to use them.
Original languageEnglish
PublisherJISC
Number of pages16
Publication statusPublished - 13 Aug 2009

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