Spatial Organization and Semantic Modelling of Historical Data

Abstract

This article presents the methodological framework and the first results of the research towards the spatial organization and semantic modelling of the work of the French Scientific Mission (1828-1829), the first systematic mapping of the Hellenic State. Ultimate goal of this research is to create an integrated spatial database that incorporates the geographic information from the historical maps enriched with multimedia and texts from the published work of the Mission. For this, the technological approaches suggested by the Semantic Web have been followed introducing the concepts of semantic interoperability and geographic data models in the management of historical data. Eventually, the historical map becomes the medium on which the historical data are organized as well as the narrative medium that conveys the historical knowledge to the wider public illuminating the status of the Hellenic State at the time of its establishment, from a spatial point of view.

Long-Term Landscape Dynamics to Assess Land Degradation Hypotheses—An Exploratory Study of Evidence from Travelers’ Narrations

“…References to locations in the text were often made relevant to a landmark, so that human interpretation was needed to pinpoint the exact position [24]. Additionally, the transcription of Greek names in the available gazetteer, based on the digitized map of the French Scientific Expedition [16], was different from the transcription adopted by Leake. The similarities of names referring to the same location apparent to a human interpreter would be missed by an automated procedure.…”

“…a number of landmarks, even if still present, are not depicted in modern maps, since they have lost their significance (e.g., kefalovrysamajor freshwater springs). These problems were tackled by using a digitized version of the map produced by the French Scientific Expedition, based on surveys carried out from 1829 onward in the study area [16] (a topographical map without any information about land cover). Additionally, a database of historical settlement names was sometimes consulted (https://settlement-renames.eie.gr/ (last accessed on 10 January 2022)), and, in very few cases, landmarks not captured on the historical map could be found on modern maps (castle and monastery ruins mostly).…”

Challenges and limitations of modelling historical spatial data on nature: 19th century flora and fauna of Peloponnese, Greece

“…The full results of the Expedition's survey were published in 8 volumes (three of them concerned flora and fauna) along with a map and an atlas. The map was georeferenced and spatial data were extracted and stored in a geo-database in terms of the previous project entitled "The historical landscape at the end of the Greek Revolution: The French Scientific Expedition of Moreas, 1829" (Gkadolou, 2019), available at: https://moree1829.gr. This database (called "Moreas database" onwards) includes historical place names of 1828 and their location (in form of a gazetteer) and it was used as a reference in order to geo-locate the flora and fauna data of this research.…”