wiki:IsmiDataModel

Version 1 (modified by Robert Casties, 16 years ago) (diff)

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(new) database structure for ISMI

Conceptual objects in the database:

  • (abstract-) text
  • alias (title for text or name for person or place)
  • manuscript
  • codex (of one or more manuscripts)
  • collection
  • library
  • person
  • place

Objects

Texts

abstract texts (mostly with a specific title) that exist as one or more manuscripts.

Relations:

  • is commentary on text
  • is translation of text
  • is redaction (revision, abbreviation, paraphrase, ...) of text
  • has alias title
  • was written by an author
  • ...

Information:

  • full title (transliteration)
  • short title (translit)
  • title in original script
  • script
  • language
  • incipit (beginning) text sample
  • explicit (end) text sample
  • dedication text sample
  • date of composition
  • place of composition (relation)
  • subject of text (hay'a, zīj, mīqāt, astrolabe, etc)
    • -> a canonical list of subjects should be present in the database
  • type/genre of text (matn, sharḥ, taḥrīr, ...)
  • format/structure of text (number of books, parts, chapters, sections)
  • table of contents
  • information whether the work has been published, translated, studied (relations)

Problems:

  • is a translation another abstract text?
  • alias titles e.g. greek, latin linked to translations?

Manuscripts

manuscripts are concrete written pieces of paper lying in a library.

Relations:

  • manuscript is instance (exemplar) of a text
  • is part of a codex
    • is part of a collection
    • is in a library
  • was copied by a copyist
  • had a patron (person)
  • can be direct copy of another manuscript
  • was copied/written in place

Informations:

  • transliteration of title as written on the manuscript
  • title as written on the manuscript
  • MS number
  • folios
  • lines per page
  • script
    • include comments on legibility, ink, etc
  • distinguishing features (e.g. state of preservation)
  • copy date
  • colophon ("this was copied by") sample
  • incipit/explicit if different from standard text
  • information on diagrams, maps, tables
    • include number of diagrams, folios, color of ink, brief description
    • include number of tables if possible, folios, color of ink, brief description
  • annotations/marginal notes

Problems:

  • alternative MS/catalog numbers?
  • how to manage annotations?

Codices

a codex is a physical, bound collection of manuscripts

Relations:

  • contains one or more manuscripts
  • was written in place
  • is part of a collection
  • is in a library
  • can be direct copy of another codex
  • was owned by person
  • was patronized by person
  • was copied by person

Information:

  • dimensions
  • material
  • distinguishing features (e.g. presentation copy, decoration)
  • table of contents (with titles and folio numbers)
  • other information (including language(s) used in codex)
  • owner(s) (relation)
  • patron(s) (relation)
  • reader(s) (relation)
    • for the above three: locations and dates if available
  • information on additional material (diagrams, maps, tables, etc)

Problems:

  • does every manuscript have to be in a codex?

Persons

persons are (real or hypothetical) people that had some relation to a manuscript/text.

Relations:

  • is author of manuscript (text?)
  • is author of commentary (manuscript/text?)
  • is copyist of manuscript
  • is patron of manuscript/text
  • is owner of manuscript
  • is annotator of manuscript
  • is reader of manuscript
  • is teacher/student of person
  • is patron of person
  • has alias names

Information:

  • short name (translit)
  • long name (translit)
  • original script name
  • birth/work/death date
  • birth/work/death place

Problems:

  • anonymous or insufficiently specified names
  • alternative names (historical change?)

Anonymous authors:

  • link to one generic Anonymous person (with optional notes)
  • if more individuating information becomes available a new person will be created and linked as an author

Places

places are places that have some relation to a manuscript/text/person/library/...

Types:

  • institution (Madrasa Mosque in Cairo, etc.)
  • city area (Fustat in Cairo)
  • city
  • region (Egypt, Iran, Maghreb, etc.)

Relations:

  • place is part of other place (city is part of region, etc)
  • manuscript was written in
  • person was born/lived/died in
  • library is in
  • has alias name (at certain time)

Information:

  • name of place (translit)
  • original script name
  • location(?)

Problems:

  • linking to historical names?

Alias names

alias titles or names for places and persons.

Relation:

  • is alias of text/place/person

Information:

  • name (translit)
  • original script name
  • script
  • at a certain time

Collections

a manuscript is in a collection in a library.

Relations:

  • contains manuscripts
  • is part of a library

Information:

  • collection name
  • owner and historical information
  • description of holdings

Libraries

a codex is in a library

Relations:

  • contains codices
  • contains collections
  • is in a place

Information:

  • name of library
  • more info

Secondary literature

Items:

  • bibliographical items (book/article/etc)
  • later separate authors with aliases

Relations:

  • covers text/manuscript/codex/collection/library or person

Tasks

Tasks that should be done with the database.

Examples

Edifying examples.

Questions

  • historical record of manuscripts in libraries?
  • historical record of author attribution?
  • historical record of ownership?
  • have the possibility to maintain a list of Titles which were wrongly attributed to an author in secondary literature
  • collect secondary literature
  • format of dates
  • workflow for public and non-public entries in the display?