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Research draft

inscription

vr.tr.inscription · thing-q1640824

Let an agent explain inscriptions and epigraphy, help read and interpret inscriptions with sources, describe recording and conservation, and identify specific inscriptions and corpora.

Thing Registry Information and virtual systems INF.MED

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

Researched by: Claude

Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Read Reading an inscription.

Decipher

Reading and interpreting.

Decipher

Reading.

  1. What does this inscription say, in which script and language, and how is it interpreted by epigraphers? provenance
  2. How are gaps and uncertain letters marked in editions? definition

Specific

A specific inscription.

Specific

Specific inscription.

  1. What is this inscription, where is it, and where is it published? provenance
  2. Which entry fits it? action
Kinds Types of inscription.

Types

Kinds and purposes.

Types

Types.

  1. What kinds of inscriptions exist, from monumental and funerary to curse tablets and maker marks, and what purposes did they serve? definition
  2. What are ogham stones? provenance

Date

Dating and context.

Date

Dating.

  1. How are inscriptions dated by letter forms, language and context? provenance
  2. How reliable is dating? boundary
Record Recording and conservation.

Record

Recording methods.

Record

Recording.

  1. How are inscriptions recorded with photography, imaging and squeezes without damage? provenance
  2. Which methods harm stone? provenance

Conserve

Conservation.

Conserve

Conservation.

  1. How are inscribed monuments conserved and protected? provenance
  2. How can forgeries be detected? provenance
Study Corpora and teaching.

Corpora

Corpora and databases.

Corpora

Corpora.

  1. Which corpora and databases collect inscriptions for this region or period? provenance
  2. How are they encoded digitally? provenance

Teach

Teaching epigraphy.

Teach

Teaching.

  1. How can epigraphy be taught with examples? action
  2. Which misconceptions arise? provenance

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Information and virtual systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
INF
Domain
INF.MED
Other names and narrower kinds
ogham stone, Ogham Stone Concept, Ogham Stone Semantic Concept, Collection of Ogham Stones, curse tablet, maker's mark, engraved stamp, combined street and house number sign, titulus, street name sign, bilingual street name sign, road sign

What it is Filled

Text written, carved, cast or painted onto a durable object or surface, such as stone monuments, ogham stones, curse tablets, coins, pottery, buildings and maker marks, studied in epigraphy to read, date and interpret them; inscriptions are primary sources for languages, history and religion and are catalogued in corpora and databases.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent explain inscriptions and epigraphy, help read and interpret inscriptions with sources, describe recording and conservation, and identify specific inscriptions and corpora.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Durable medium
  • Primary source
  • Epigraphic study
  • Catalogued

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Remove, rub or clean an inscription without conservator approval.
  • Help trade inscribed objects that may have been looted.
  • Present a doubtful reading as certain.
  • Disclose locations of vulnerable inscriptions to people who may damage or steal them.

Only with a human decision

  • Publishing new readings or locations of unprotected sites.

May

  • Transcribe, translate and date inscriptions from photographs or published corpora.
  • Record where an inscription is and its condition for the responsible authority.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Inscriptions are irreplaceable records of languages and peoples.
  • Some carry sacred or funerary meaning for living communities.

Who is affected

  • Descendant communities
  • Researchers
  • Owners of sites

Owners Filled

Steward

The owner of the object or site, under heritage authorities.

Master systems

  • Epigraphic corpora and heritage registers

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q206287 - registry parent class
  • Q223557 - registry parent class
  • Q234460 - registry parent class
  • Q340169 - registry parent class
  • Q47461344 - registry parent class
  • Q55412936 - registry parent class

related

  • text - category
  • physical object - category
  • alphabet - scripts used
  • mural - text on walls

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.inscription
  • Wikidata: Q1640824 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1640824)

Direct properties not applicable Not applicable

Not applicable

Plane INF: no invented physical properties.

Recognition optional Filled

  • Text on a durable object
  • Carved, cast or painted
  • A manuscript is written on a portable writing material
  • Letters or symbols cut, cast or painted on stone, metal, clay or buildings.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • explain inscription types and epigraphy
  • help read and interpret inscriptions
  • describe recording and conservation
  • identify inscriptions and corpora

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Misreading damaged text
  • Forgeries
  • Damage from rubbings and cleaning

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • Epigraphic editing conventions such as the Leiden conventions
  • Heritage protection for inscribed monuments
  • Digital epigraphy standards such as EpiDoc

Context of use required Filled

  • Durable written text on objects.
  • monumental and funerary inscriptions
  • ogham stones and runic inscriptions
  • curse tablets and votive inscriptions
  • coin, seal and maker mark inscriptions
  • building and dedicatory inscriptions

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q1640824: inscription - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Inscription - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should each inscription corpus be a separate entry?
  • How should epigraphic databases be linked?
  • How should reading conventions be linked?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q1640824/spec.json