In recent years, the field of Egyptology has witnessed a surge in the use of 3D models and digital tools, particularly revolutionizing epigraphic work through enhanced accuracy and accessibility facilitated by digital tablet technology. This has sparked crucial conversations about the role of these tools in Egyptology and epigraphy, how they can best be utilized, and how the information gained from using them can be functionally shared with scholarly and public audiences.
This talk aims to contribute to this discussion by presenting a digital publication prototype tailored for epigraphy, yet applicable to the broader Egyptological community. The open-source, web-based experimental viewer serves as a platform for displaying contextualized geospatial relationships in 3D and examining surface details in 2D. The test case for this is the most recent volume published by the Epigraphic Survey on the inner sanctuaries of the Small Amun Temple at Medinet Habu, and more specifically one room in this area, the King’s Chamber.
The details of the development of the project will be reviewed, along with some of the larger questions that the process raised, and some of the issues that remain to be resolved. There will also be a discussion about what the expansion of this project might look like—essentially what the framework for the entire ‘digital book’ would be, including what the primary concerns are and what tools are necessary for this to be a viable venture. This talk will delve into the project’s short-term prospects and long-term goals and more generally the shaping of the future of digital epigraphic publication.
Ariel Singer is a PhD candidate at the University of Chicago, currently working on her dissertation, which is an examination of anatomical terminology in ancient Egyptian texts, with a focus on the cranium and the early development of a technical vocabulary. For a number of years, she has also been an epigrapher at the Epigraphic Survey, based in Luxor, where she worked primarily at Medinet Habu, Khonsu, and Luxor Temples, and the tomb of Nefersekheru. Additionally, Ariel worked for many years at the Demotic Dictionary to implement a modern design method, and more recently has contributed to the Thesaurus Linguae Aegyptiae online dictionary project.
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The lecture starts at 6 pm. We work on a first-come, first-served basis as the number of seats is limited. We open our doors at 5:30 and close them at 6:15 or earlier when the lecture room reaches its full capacity. This talk will not be recorded nor livestreamed.
