Greek Epigraphic Squeezes: Developing a Digital Environment

TitleGreek Epigraphic Squeezes: Developing a Digital Environment
Faculty/College/UnitArts
StatusCompleted
Duration3 Years
Initiation05/01/2014
Completion04/30/2017
Funding Details
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2014/2015
Year 1: Project TypeLarge TLEF
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorGwynaeth McIntyre
Year 1: Funded Amount12,330
Year 1: Team Members

Gwynaeth McIntyre, Lecturer, Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts
Larissa Ringham, Digital Projects Librarian, UBC Library
Maude Côté-Landry, Graduate Student, Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts

Year 1: Summary

This CNERS student-driven project will collaborate with UBC Library to digitize approximately 700 epigraphic squeezes (paper impressions of ancient Greek stone inscriptions), and develop the descriptive content necessary to deliver a comprehensive online collection. Once digitized, the materials will be introduced to approximately 135 upper-graduate and graduate students through classroom assignments in an online environment, and engage them in translation exercises that will introduce them to the Digital Humanities environment.

Year 2: Project YearYear 2
Year 2: Funding Year2015/2016
Year 2: Project TypeLarge TLEF
Year 2: Principal InvestigatorGwynaeth McIntyre
Year 2: Funded Amount15,000
Year 2: Team Members

Gwynaeth McIntyre, Lecturer, Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts
Larissa Ringham, Digital Projects Librarian, UBC Library
Maude Côté-Landry, Graduate Student, Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts

Year 2: Summary

The Department of Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies (CNERS) holds an extensive collection of approximately 1000 epigraphic squeezes, paper impressions of ancient Greek stone inscriptions. The collection is comparable to few in North America and is a valuable pedagogical source of material; however, the materials are not accessible in their current fragile physical state.

Over the last year, this CNERS student-driven project has collaborated with the UBC Library to begin to digitize the squeezes collection and this will be completed by April 2015. The next stage is to develop the descriptive content necessary to deliver a comprehensive online collection. The materials will be used to introduce approximately 300-330 upper-undergraduate (depending on course rotation) and graduate level students to the primary sources each year through classroom assignments in an online environment, and engage them in translation exercises that would give them an introduction to the Digital Humanities environment.

Year 3: Project YearYear 3
Year 3: Funding Year2016/2017
Year 3: Project TypeLarge TLEF
Year 3: Principal InvestigatorKevin Fisher
Year 3: Funded Amount28,875
Year 3: Team Members

Kevin Fisher, Assistant Professor, Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts
Larissa Ringham, Digital Projects Librarian, UBC Library
Maude Côté-Landry, Graduate Student, Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts

Year 3: Summary

The Department of Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies (CNERS) holds a collection of approximately 700 epigraphic squeezes (paper impressions of ancient Greek stone inscriptions). The collection is comparable to few in North America and is a valuable pedagogical resource which, until now, has not been accessible due to their fragile physical state. The Department has recently acquired access to collections of ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern artifacts, which also have tremendous pedagogical potential—if they can be made accessible to instructors and students.

This student-driven project has been collaborating with the UBC Library to digitize these materials and develop the descriptive content necessary to deliver comprehensive online collections. These materials are now being integrated into classroom learning in an online environment, with the potential to reach approximately 300 undergraduate and graduate students--engaging them in assignments that provide a valuable hands-on introduction to Digital Humanities research.

Year 3: TLEF ShowcaseYear 3: TLEF Showcase
Project Report2016-TLEF-LP-Final-Fisher-WEB.pdf