Attic inscriptions in UK collections (AIUK)
Lead Research Organisation:
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Department Name: Sch of History, Archaeology & Religion
Abstract
Inscriptions on stone are the most important and numerous category of written document created by the inhabitants of the ancient city of Athens that has survived through to the present day. Of the over 20,000 such inscriptions dating from the 7th cent. BC to the 3rd cent. AD that are extant, around 1% (ca. 220) are in British collections, mostly (ca. 163) in the British Museum (BM), but including also other collections, such as the Ashmolean museum, Oxford, and the Fitzwilliam museum, Cambridge, private collections, and the British School at Athens. Most of the inscriptions are records of decisions of the citizen Assembly and other bodies, financial accounts, leases, dedications to the gods and funerary monuments. Many of them are decorated with relief sculpture, and they are a resource of the first importance for scholars and students as well as potentially engaging monuments for visitors to the museums and collections where they are located. Generally speaking, however, these inscriptions have suffered from neglect. The last systematic edition of the Attic inscriptions in the BM dates from 1874, and it is for the most part this edition that is the basis for the museum's current online catalogue. Since 1874 the landscape has been completely transformed, not only by the accession of new inscriptions to the museum's collection, but by the progress of scholarship. For example, thousands of Attic inscriptions have since been discovered, with far-reaching implications for our understanding of inscriptions already known; this includes in many cases new fragments of inscriptions in the BM. 1874 predates even the first editions of the authoritative corpora of Attic inscriptions (IG I and II), published in the 1870s-1890s, which set their study on a systematic footing, and which have themselves long been overtaken by second and third editions. We propose a two-pronged approach to this material designed to make it accessible in an up-to-date fashion to scholars, students and the general public. Central to this approach is Attic Inscriptions Online (AIO), a website launched in 2012 which publishes annotated English translations of Attic inscriptions, together with supporting academic papers (AIO Papers). First we propose to publish new editions of the inscriptions in a series of 17 AIO Papers each of which will cover an individual collection, or in the case of the BM a category of inscriptions (e.g. decrees, dedications, funerary monuments). Based on the most up-to-date scholarly bibliography, supplemented by fresh autopsy of the stones, and supported by photographs, the AIO Papers will contain new editions of the inscriptions, together with textual notes, translations and commentaries. The main mode of publication will be online on AIO, where the Papers will be available to view and download without charge, but hard copies will also be published. This will transform the utility and accessibility of this material to scholars. Second, entries including translations and photographs will be published on the main AIO site, with notes aimed at the user without good knowledge of Latin and Greek, including school students and museum visitors. At the same time we will engage with the curators of collections to make the translations and information about the inscriptions on AIO available to the public, both via online catalogues and directly to museum visitors in real time. This will include advising and assisting with preparation of e.g. display boards on which there will be automatic links to AIO material, via the British Museum's mobile web-platform, or via QR codes which will enable direct access to AIO on mobile phones. Materials will be developed, designed to enhance and facilitate teaching and learning based on the Attic inscriptions in the UK by school students, both virtually and via visits to the collections, stored in a section of the site specially designed for the purpose, following testing by teachers collaborating on the project.
Planned Impact
Apart from the benefits to academic researchers, outlined above, the project will benefit the following:
(a) Curators of collections where the inscriptions are held. AIUK will enable them to provide a more reliable, complete, up-to-date, and enlightening experience to visitors from academic researchers, to teachers and students, to members of the public with no prior knowledge, both online and in person. This will apply especially to the British Museum, where, in the absence of a specialist curator, the information currently supplied is particularly outdated, the collection is particularly sizeable and relatively underutilized, and the visitor numbers are among the highest of any museum in the world. Smaller collections will be able to use the product of AIUK to enhance their visibility, communications and marketing around the inscriptions in their collections. Online visitors to AIO will be stimulated to visit local collections and to seek out the Attic inscriptions in them, whether this be the BM or a local country house. Overall AIUK has the potential to increase visitor numbers to relevant collections and the quality of the visitor experience.
(b) Visitors to collections. AIUK will enhance their appreciation, at every academic level, of the major role played by stone inscriptions in ancient Athenian culture, and enrich their understanding of the many areas of history into which they provide an insight, including narrative history, politics, empire and "democracy", warfare, attitudes to death, religious beliefs and practices, associative life, the family and other aspects of economy and society.
(c) Universities and University teachers. AIUK will enhance their capacity to teach effectively about the major role played by stone inscriptions in ancient Athenian culture, and to deploy inscriptions as evidential sources, both online, by direct use of materials available on AIO, and via museum visits.
(d) University students. AIUK will enhance their appreciation of the major role played by stone inscriptions in ancient Athenian culture, and enrich their understanding of the many areas of history into which they provide an insight (see b above). This will have beneficial knock-on effects, e.g. in making future generations of researchers, University and school teachers better equipped to teach Ancient History (in which Athenian history plays a major role) more effectively.
(e) School exam boards and syllabus creators in UK and internationally. By the supply of free, user-friendly and open access to this significant body of source material, it will provide an incentive to increase the (currently in the UK very slight) role accorded to Attic inscriptions in exam syllabi.
(f) Teachers in schools, in the UK and internationally. Essentially the same potential impact as (c), with an appropriate adjustment of academic level. AIUK will enable them to offer a more vibrant and rounded historical learning experience to their students.
(g) School students, in the UK and internationally. AIUK will enhance their appreciation of the major role played by stone inscriptions in ancient Athenian culture, and enrich their understanding of the many areas of history into which they provide an insight (see b above). This will have beneficial knock-on effects, e.g. in increasing the level of knowledge and understanding of Ancient History, and the importance of inscriptions as historical sources, among potential University students.
(h) Online visitors to AIO, at whatever academic level. They will benefit from the significant enhancement of the site represented by AIUK, including enhanced presentation of this body of material (e.g. photographs, dual level presentation), and the integration of it with other material on AIO, enabling Attic inscriptions both in UK and outside the UK to be better appreciated.
(i) Knock-on impacts will arise from AIO's role in the semantic web, e.g. from deployment of AIO outputs on other sites (e.g IG online).
(a) Curators of collections where the inscriptions are held. AIUK will enable them to provide a more reliable, complete, up-to-date, and enlightening experience to visitors from academic researchers, to teachers and students, to members of the public with no prior knowledge, both online and in person. This will apply especially to the British Museum, where, in the absence of a specialist curator, the information currently supplied is particularly outdated, the collection is particularly sizeable and relatively underutilized, and the visitor numbers are among the highest of any museum in the world. Smaller collections will be able to use the product of AIUK to enhance their visibility, communications and marketing around the inscriptions in their collections. Online visitors to AIO will be stimulated to visit local collections and to seek out the Attic inscriptions in them, whether this be the BM or a local country house. Overall AIUK has the potential to increase visitor numbers to relevant collections and the quality of the visitor experience.
(b) Visitors to collections. AIUK will enhance their appreciation, at every academic level, of the major role played by stone inscriptions in ancient Athenian culture, and enrich their understanding of the many areas of history into which they provide an insight, including narrative history, politics, empire and "democracy", warfare, attitudes to death, religious beliefs and practices, associative life, the family and other aspects of economy and society.
(c) Universities and University teachers. AIUK will enhance their capacity to teach effectively about the major role played by stone inscriptions in ancient Athenian culture, and to deploy inscriptions as evidential sources, both online, by direct use of materials available on AIO, and via museum visits.
(d) University students. AIUK will enhance their appreciation of the major role played by stone inscriptions in ancient Athenian culture, and enrich their understanding of the many areas of history into which they provide an insight (see b above). This will have beneficial knock-on effects, e.g. in making future generations of researchers, University and school teachers better equipped to teach Ancient History (in which Athenian history plays a major role) more effectively.
(e) School exam boards and syllabus creators in UK and internationally. By the supply of free, user-friendly and open access to this significant body of source material, it will provide an incentive to increase the (currently in the UK very slight) role accorded to Attic inscriptions in exam syllabi.
(f) Teachers in schools, in the UK and internationally. Essentially the same potential impact as (c), with an appropriate adjustment of academic level. AIUK will enable them to offer a more vibrant and rounded historical learning experience to their students.
(g) School students, in the UK and internationally. AIUK will enhance their appreciation of the major role played by stone inscriptions in ancient Athenian culture, and enrich their understanding of the many areas of history into which they provide an insight (see b above). This will have beneficial knock-on effects, e.g. in increasing the level of knowledge and understanding of Ancient History, and the importance of inscriptions as historical sources, among potential University students.
(h) Online visitors to AIO, at whatever academic level. They will benefit from the significant enhancement of the site represented by AIUK, including enhanced presentation of this body of material (e.g. photographs, dual level presentation), and the integration of it with other material on AIO, enabling Attic inscriptions both in UK and outside the UK to be better appreciated.
(i) Knock-on impacts will arise from AIO's role in the semantic web, e.g. from deployment of AIO outputs on other sites (e.g IG online).
Organisations
- CARDIFF UNIVERSITY (Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- Greek Epigraphic Society (Collaboration)
- National Trust (Collaboration)
- British Museum (Collaboration)
- NATIONAL MUSEUMS SCOTLAND (Collaboration)
- Godolphin and Latymer School (Collaboration)
- Berlin Academy of Arts (Collaboration)
- British School at Athens (Collaboration)
Publications
De Lisle, C.
(2022)
Attic Inscriptions in UK Collections 14 (National Museums Scotland)
De Lisle, C.
(2020)
Attic Inscriptions in UK Collections 11 (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford)
De Lisle, C.
(2020)
The Ephebate in Roman Athens: Outline and Catalogue of Inscriptions
in AIO Papers 12
Lambert, S. D.
(2020)
Attic Inscriptions in UK Collections 4.3B (British Museum, Ephebic Monuments)
Description | The project's single most important objective was the publication on Attic Inscriptions Online (AIO) of new editions, with translations and images, of the Attic inscriptions in UK collections, in 17 scholarly volumes, alongside entries on the main AIO site that present the inscriptions with shorter notes, more accessible to non-experts. We have in a sense exceeded this objective, publishing 20 AIUK volumes (as of September 2022) and corresponding entries on the main site. This is more than originally envisaged partly because of discoveries of previously unknown collections of Attic inscriptions in the UK in the course of the project (AIUK 12, Great North Museum, Hancock, and 14, National Museums, Scotland). As of February 2023 two final volumes, containing parts of the British Museum collection, AIUK 4.4 (BM, Accounts and Inventories) and 4.7 (BM, Miscellaneous), are in progress in collaboration with Dr. Sebastian Prignitz (Vienna Academy), who is preparing fresh editions of the accounts of the treasurers of Athena for the series Inscriptiones Graecae. He has made important new discoveries which have implications for the BM fragments of these inscriptions and it is sensible to await the publication of his findings (expected shortly) before finalising the relevant parts of AIUK. [Last 2 vols. still in progress as of Feb. 2024]. One area turned out to require more work than originally envisaged: the inscriptions of ca. 100 BC - AD 267 relating to the ephebate (the system of military service and education for young Athenian males). There are important inscriptions of this type in the British Museum (AIUK 4.3B), the Ashmolean (AIUK 11) and, as we discovered, in Edinburgh (AIUK 14), but there was a pressing need for broader studies of the Athenian ephebate at this period to enable these inscriptions to be understood in context. In collaboration with Mr Julian Schneider (then a student in Zürich, now in Hamburg) we produced a study of the ephebic inscriptions of the 1st century BC (a fragment of one of which is in the BM), AIO Papers 11; while Dr. Christopher de Lisle (Oxford, now at Durham) produced for us a synoptic study of the ephebate in Roman Athens, AIO Papers 12, as well as taking on the publication of AIUK 11 (Ashmolean) and collaborating on AIUK 14. This has immeasurably enhanced the quality of our treatments of these inscriptions. A third key result of the project was the launch in September 2021 of Attic Inscriptions Education (AIE), an entirely new section of AIO, which deploys the inscriptions in UK collections in the context of a resource facilitating the use of Attic inscriptions by teachers in pre-18 education, from KS 1 and 2 through to A-Level (and Scottish equivalents). Though curators of UK collections collaborated constructively with the project team, and we produced a series of Youtube videos, experimented successfully with the use of QR codes on display boards at the British School at Athens, contributed to updating the BM's online catalogue, and are helping to prepare other visitor materials for the BM, including for an exhibition in 2023, this aspect of the project took longer to gain traction than we had hoped, largely because of Covid. We are maintaining our contacts with curators with the intention of building further on the foundations we have laid in this area (and for that reason several of the entries in the "collaborations and partnerships" section of this submission are listed as still active). For the results of the collaboration with the BM on the exhibition in 2023 see "engagement" section. |
Exploitation Route | AIUK has produced an online resource usable by researchers, teachers, students, museum curators and visitors, real and virtual, to realise the potential of Attic inscriptions in UK Collections for illuminating the history and culture of ancient Athens. Their incorporation into a dynamic online resource will enable relevant materials on AIO to be much more easily updated in the light of future developments in scholarship than conventional hard copy publications. Inscriptions in UK Collections form a relatively small subset of all Attic inscriptions (ca. 1%) and their integration in AIO together with the many Attic inscriptions from outside the UK which have been, and continue to be, added to the site, and updated from time to time, enables a fuller and more rounded appreciation of their historical significance than would be achieved by "stand-alone" publication of AIUK. There is scope for UK collections managers to make further use of AIUK results in updating and improving the presentation to the public of the Attic inscriptions in their collections. The software template of AIO, which has been developed to accommodate AIUK, is potentially usable as a model for similar online resources. AIUK paves the way for the development of similar projects for non-Attic inscriptions in UK collections. |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
URL | https://atticinscriptions.com |
Description | AIUK publications have been intensively viewed and downloaded from AIO. For example in the period since the first AIUK volumes were published on 30 April 2018 to 15 February 2023, 5 of the 20 published AIUK volumes have been viewed more than 5,000 times each (source: Google Analytics), and in the period since AIE was launched on 25 June 2021, the Introduction to Ancient Athenian Inscriptions which is part of that resource and is aimed at teachers and pre-18 year old students has been viewed 2667 times (source: Google Analytics). Attic Inscriptions Online more broadly was the subject of an "Impact Case Study" for Cardiff University in REF 2021. This included the early stages of the AIUK project. See the summary at https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/history-archaeology-religion/research/impact/transforming-access-to-the-inscriptions-of-ancient-athens-and-attica. For results of our 2019/2020 anonymous online survey of AIO Users see also the section, "How are we doing?" at https://atticinscriptions.com/about/ The digital architecture of AIO has been used in establishing a similar website for translations of ancient Greek inscriptions into modern Greek for use in Greek schools (Greek Inscriptions Online, https://greekinscriptions.com) AIO outputs have been used and/or linked to by other leading research and educational websites in the field (see under Partnerships and Collaborations). In 2023 two of the inscriptions covered in this project were displayed in an exhibition in the British Museum, together with a QR code via which visitors to the exhibition were able to link online to translations and notes on the two inscriptions on AIO. To judge by the number of views of these AIO entries recorded on Google Analytics, a good number of exhibition visitors engaged with the inscriptions in this way (see under Engagement, 7 Feb. 24 entry). |
First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Cultural |
Description | Athenian Inscriptions at the British School at Athens |
Organisation | British School at Athens |
Country | Greece |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Project team member Robert Pitt collaborated with the BSA to place descriptive labels on Attic inscriptions on public display, together with QR codes linking the visitor to the AIO entry for the relevant inscription |
Collaborator Contribution | Facilitated work of Robert Pitt |
Impact | Descriptive labels and QR codes added to inscriptions in BSA on public display |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Athenian inscriptions at the Ashmolean, Oxford |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Ashmolean Museum |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Contribution to updating internal and public catalogue by provision of research data. I have produced a 'Focus on Athenian Inscriptions' guide for the Ashmolean: it is hoped that this will be printed and made available once the Museum reopens after lockdown. (I have also an 'Exploring Greek Inscriptions' Guide: this builds upon AIUK but ultimately includes non-AIUK material (e.g. the Marmor Parium!). Chris de Lisle and I have given separate training sessions to the Ashmolean Museum Volunteers (22nd February) and Gallery Lecturers (24th February) groups on the inscriptions on display. March 22nd public lecture (given by Chris) and workshop(s) (convened by me and Chris on March 24th and 25th). |
Collaborator Contribution | Entry of data into Museum Catalogue Organisation of training events for museum workers. Hosting of online workshops for general public |
Impact | Contribution to updating internal and public catalogue by provision of research data. Creation of notes on Attic inscriptions for museum visitors. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Athenian inscriptions in National Trust Collections |
Organisation | National Trust |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Co-authorship of article for National Trust Arts, Buildings & Collections Bulletin. Autumn, 2021, p. 22-26 5 p. Contributions to updating public National Trust Catalogue |
Collaborator Contribution | Copy-editing and publication of article Entry of data onto catalogue |
Impact | 'Ancient Athenian Inscriptions at Petworth House, Lyme and Mount Stewart', in National Trust Arts, Buildings & Collections Bulletin. Autumn, 2021, p. 22-26 5 p. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Collaboration with British Museum:Contribution to a focus group exploring redisplay and interpretation of Elgin material in the BM; Contribution of resources to Education Department; Contribution to update of internal and public catalogues of the BM; Contribution to BM Museum |
Organisation | British Museum |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | 1. Contribution to updating internal and public catalogue by provision of research data. 2. Creation of notes on Attic inscriptions for museum visitors. I have put together slides and teachers' notes on AIUK material for the 'BM Image Bank', which are distributed to school parties. They awaiting signoff. 3. Contribution to CPD event for schoolteachers, October 20th 2021. This was an online event - live zoom presentation (plus Q&A) of about 20 mins about how teachers might be able to use inscriptions in the classroom / why they are useful etc. 4 Podcasts for Study Day aimed at GCSE and A-level students, October 1st 2021. Two short lectures: 1: 'Athenian Religion and the Women of Ancient Athens: using the evidence of inscriptions at the British Museum'; 2: 'Athenian Democracy and Empire in the Age of Pericles: using the evidence of inscriptions at the British Museum'. prerecorded and live streamed to schools on Oct 1st . To be posted on the BM Youtube channel. 5. Publication: 'Written in Stone' BM Magazine, Autumn 2021, p. 38-40 6. Proposal for BM book on Greek Inscriptions. Accepted and awaiting contract. 7. Contribution to exhibition, 'Luxury and power: Persia to Greece', May-August 2023. We advised on the Attic inscriptions to be included in the exhibition, co-wrote the relevant entries in the exhibition catalogue, and supported the exhibition by a dedicated entry to the Pronaos inscription on the AIO website here: https://atticinscriptions.com/inscription/AIUK44/3 8. Contribution to a focus group exploring redisplay and interpretation of Elgin material in the BM (September 2024) |
Collaborator Contribution | 1. Entry of data provided by AIUK research project into catalogue. 2. Provision of template for visitors' notes. 3. Organised BM Study Day aimed at those studying GCSE and A level Classical Civilisation and Ancient History. 4. Organised CPD event, Teaching About the Ancient World at the British Museum on Wed 20th Oct, 2021, for both primary and secondary school teachers. 5. Contribution to a focus group exploring redisplay and interpretation of Elgin material in the BM (September 2024) |
Impact | Notes to be hosted on website, podcasts. Contribution to exhibition, 'Luxury and power: Persia to Greece', May-August 2023. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Collaboration with UK schoolteachers for further development of Attic Inscriptions: Education website |
Organisation | Godolphin and Latymer School |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with schoolteachers, especially Simon Costello, Sophie Evans, Liam Holian, Sarah Holliday, Esther Hyde, Katherine Mawford, Athena Mitropoulos, Karen Stears, James Watson, Anne Wright, Alex Imrie to further develop the resources on the Attic Inscriptions: Education resources. Collaboration with British Museum is also central to the development of the resources. |
Collaborator Contribution | Schoolteachers made recommendations on presentation of notes and slides aimed at schoolteachers adn their students. |
Impact | AIE resources aimed at the following edicational areas: KS 1 and 2 KS 3 GCSE Classical Civilisation GCSE Ancient History A-Level Classical Civilisation A-Level Ancient History Scottish Qualifications |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Greek Inscriptions Online |
Organisation | Greek Epigraphic Society |
Country | Greece |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | AIO supplied digital architecture for Greek Inscriptions Online (GIO), a website which publishes ancient Greek inscriptions in modern Greek translation for use in Greek schools, and collaborated with the initial setting up of the site and first batch of translations |
Collaborator Contribution | Expertise in ancient Greek inscriptions (especially non-Attic) and in modern Greek |
Impact | See above |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Inscriptiones Graecae Online |
Organisation | Berlin Academy of Arts |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Supply of English translations of Attic inscriptions for use in Inscriptiones Graecae Online |
Collaborator Contribution | Supply of website and Greek texts |
Impact | Availability of AIO translations to users of IG online. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Work with the National Museums Scotland |
Organisation | National Museums Scotland |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Collaboration with National Museums Scotland to publish their Greek inscriptions, to update their catalogue, including an Attic inscription published in this project. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to inscriptions and their archival history |
Impact | https://www.atticinscriptions.com/papers/aiuk-14/ |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | 'Talk to Roehampton branch of the Classical Association |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | The talk ("Gods, Disease, Inscriptions and Aristocrats: The Stories of the Athenian Anatomical Votives at the British Museum") focussed on a set of inscribed material from the British Museum, discussing both the ancient significance of the material, and the history of its collection/acquisition by the BM. Those who attended the talk commented (inter alia) that it had encouraged them to visit the BM (and to take their students to see this material). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | AIUK Videos (2018) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | I published seven videos about Attic Inscriptions in UK collections on the AIO Youtube channel during 2018, mostly aimed at a broad audience, including students and museum visitors. These were viewed well over 1000 times by the end of 2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoavdbYcrROujQD7qITwWMQ |
Description | AIUK Videos (2019) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | A further experimental video was added to the AIO Youtube site in 2019, about an inscription in the British Museum |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://youtu.be/xn4iieT2ack |
Description | AIUK Videos (2021 - Ashmolean) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | 3 videos were added to the AIO Youtube site in 2021 relating to the Attic inscriptions in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoavdbYcrROujQD7qITwWMQ |
Description | AIUK Videos (2021 - Lyme Park, Chatsworth, Leeds City Museum) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | 3 further videos were added to the AIO Youtube site in 2021, on the Attic inscriptions at Lyme Park, Chatsworth, and Leeds City Museum |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoavdbYcrROujQD7qITwWMQ |
Description | Ancient Athenian Inscriptions in UK Collections: A talk for Lytham St Annes' Classical Association |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk on ancient Athenian inscriptions to Lytham St Annes Branch Classical Association, 27th May 2021 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Article for British Museum Magazine, 'Written in Stone' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Magazine article which attempts to reach out to a wider audience of supporters of Museums and heritage industry professionals. Part of ongoing engagement with the British Museum. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Article for National Trust Arts, Buildings & Collections Bulletin |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | An article describing the Attic Inscriptions in the NT properties Petworth House, Lyme Park and Mount Stewart, exploring their collection history and their value as evidence for the Greek world. The ABC Bulletin is a 'digital magazine [which] showcases the latest curatorial and conservation news, research projects and expertise at the National Trust'; it is aimed at a general audience, and is widely circulated to NT supporters (via email and as a free download from their website). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/documents/abc-bulletin-autumn-2021.pdf |
Description | Article for The Historian. Magazine of the Historical Association, 'Ancient Athenian inscriptions in public and private UK collections' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Article for The Historian, 'Written in Stone', as a way of reaching out to a wider audience of historians. This led to an invitation to talk to the Sheffield Historical Association |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.history.org.uk/publications/resource/10125/ancient-athenian-inscriptions-in-public-and-p... |
Description | Attic Inscriptions Introductory talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A talk for the Classical Association Southampton branch on Attic inscriptions at King Edward VI School. Audience of c.20 participants, including schoolteachers and headteacher, with discussion and raised interest in inscriptions. As a consequence of the talk I was shown two inscriptions (one in Greek; one Arabic) owned by the school |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Attic Inscriptions: Education website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | E resources illustrate the relevance of ancient Athenian inscriptions, especially those of the classical period (the fifth and fourth centuries BC, c. 500-300 BC), to pre-18 education in the UK and beyond. We aim to support teachers who wish to introduce inscriptions into their teaching as a way of captivating their students' imagination and fostering enthusiasm for the ancient Greek world. These resources, consisting of teachers' notes and slides for classes, underline the textual and visual potential of inscriptions for those engaged with learning about ancient Greek history and civilisation. The idea of an inscription being carved and read "in real life" is a way of fostering the curiosity of students about the past. Accordingly, through inscriptions, learners benefit from the bringing to life of the ancient world, perhaps in a way that helps it seem less abstract and initially less complicated. At the same time, we hope that introducing students at pre-18 level to inscriptions will encourage them to explore ancient source material of their own accord, and will help them to 'bridge the gap' into University study if they chose to pursue it. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.atticinscriptions.com/education/ |
Description | Attic Inscriptions: Education. CPD event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | The AIO CPD event on 5th June 2021, gave its delegates (39 of them, from across the UK, a few from Greece, one from Brazil and another from Canada) and contributors a preview of the AIE website. The event featured three contributors from AIUK Editors: Polly Low discussed the centrality of inscriptions to the interpretation of the Delian League/Athenian empire, emphasising their perspectives into its development, nature and ideology. Chris de Lisle's talk explained 'How to Date an Athenian Inscription', demonstrating the significance of textual content as well as alphabet, letter forms and style. Robert Pitt focused upon Athenian funerary monuments at the British Museum, exploring the breadth of their forms and relevance to the study of classics in translation |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | British School at Athens Newsletter, December 2019, p. 12 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Supporters |
Results and Impact | Article in BSA Newsletter about the adding of labels including QR codes to the Attic inscriptions on display in the BSA entrance hall. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.bsa.ac.uk/publications/newsletter/ |
Description | Contribution to British Museum exhibition: C |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Two CIs on the project, Polly Low and Peter Liddel, were consulted in the design of this BM exhibition about which inscriptions could be included. As a result, 2 Attic inscriptions (one account and one decree) which are the subject of the Attic Inscriptions in UK Collections project, were put on display in the BM's Luxury and power: Persia to Greece exhibition from May to August 2023. The inscriptions were accompanied by a label with QR code taking visitors to the relevant entries on the AIUK website. As a result of this publicity, the Google analytics data for the entries for the two inscriptions shows that in the period the exhibition there were 1267 views of the inventory and 2389 of the decree. By comparison, between 1 January 2023 and 30 April 2023, the decree had 158 views and the inventory had 59, so the rise due to the exhibition is thus very clear. After the exhibition, from 1 September to 31 December, the decree had 289 views and the inventory had 149. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Discovering Ancient Politics through Athenian Inscriptions in UK Collections. A talk for the Workers' Educational Association |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A lecture on the significance of Attic Inscriptions in UK Collections for understanding ancient politics for the Workers' Educational Association. The activity was valued as it was an accessible virtual activity during lockdown. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Discovering Ancient Religion through Athenian Inscriptions in UK Collections. A talk for the Workers' Educational Association |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A lecture on the significance of Attic Inscriptions in UK Collections for understanding ancient religion for the Workers' Educational Association. The activity was valued as it was an accessible virtual activity during lockdown. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Interview for National Public Radio (USA) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interview for National Public Radio (USA). which was broadcast in breakfast slot. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.npr.org/2022/06/06/1103372606/ancient-greece-yearbook-discovered |
Description | Interview for national news |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interview with United Press, which gave rise to reports in local and national and international (e.g. the English online newspaper Ekathimerini in Greece) press. It led to a print article in The Times and other newspapers (E.g. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/graduates-in-1st-century-athens-had-yearbook-f7wtj3wck) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.ekathimerini.com/culture/1185858/ancient-greek-slab-at-scottish-museum-found-to-list-mil... |
Description | Lecture for the Workers' Educational Association: A Greek Legacy in Writing: Ancient Athenian Inscriptions and Sculpture in Britain and Ireland. Lyme Park, Cheshire |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A lecture on the inscriptions at Lyme Park for the Workers' Educational Association. The immediate consequence was a request for two further lectures, which followed in July. The activity was valued as it was an accessible virtual activity during lockdown. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Podcast for Historical Association entitled 'British Collectors of Ancient Athenian Inscriptions' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Podcast for Historical Association on 'British Collectors of Ancient Athenian Inscriptions'. It aimed to reach out to a wider audience of professional and amateur historians. It gave rise to an invitation to speak to the Sheffield Historical Association, |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.history.org.uk/podcasts/categories/435/resource/10042/film-attic-inscriptions |
Description | Poster Presentation: North American Congress of Greek and Latin Epigraphy, Washington D.C. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Poster presentation: 'Attic Inscriptions in UK Collections'. An overview of the project, its goals and its outputs so far, giving three detailed examples of our results. The event is the main conference for epigraphy in North America (taking place every 3 years), which attracts a large audience not just from North America but also from around the world. The general intention (and effect) of this presentation was to raise awareness of this project among the scholarly community, and to develop/reinforce contacts with people involved in similar projects (e.g. epigraphy.info; US Epigraphy Project). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Poster and Poster Presentation for the Connecting Classical Collections Network at Great North Museum: Hancock (Newcastle) (September 2019) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This activity included the display of a poster highlighting important aspects of the AIUK project (especially in terms of its scope and wider significance for UK collections). Discussions were held with UK academics and museum curators about the significance and standing of Athenian inscriptions in UK public and private collections; there was particular focus upon the pedagogical potential of inscriptions as objects which combine textual and physical aspects and which appeal to different types of learner. Colleagues acknowledged that they had hitherto been unaware of the numbers and geographical spread of Athenian inscriptions in UK collections. One significant effect of the event was the discovery of a new, unpublished, ancient Athenian inscription in the collection of the Great North Museum. We will work with the Museum to publish it and discuss its place in outreach-related activities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | School Visit (Winchester College) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | A visit to Winchester College, including three sessions. One introduced the teachers to AIO/AIUK; the others introduced pupils to inscriptions as evidence for history. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Seminar Paper: Inscriptions of Ancient Athens: Perspectives from a UK Collection, Manchester (October 2019) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | A seminar paper delivered to an audience of academics and students. It introeduced the AIUK project and focussed upon the particular questions raised by the inscriptions at Broomhall, Fife. The talk raised awareness among colleagues of the nature and significance of this collection and fuelled debate about the re-use of ancient inscriptions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Seminar Paper: The Re-Use of Ancient Funerary Monuments: Perspectives from Athenian inscriptions in the UK. Seminar fuer Alte Geschichte, Heidelberg (January 2020) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | A seminar paper which, by reference to Athenian inscriptions in UK collections, explored the ancient re-use of funeral monuments. The discussion focussed upon the wider phenomena of epigraphical re-use. The paper raised awareness of the strength and significance of UK collections of ancient Athenian inscriptions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Short talk for Weaverham High School, Cheshire |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | A talk for Year 9 pupils about Ancient History GCSE and the significance of ancient Greek inscriptions in their locality. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Talk to Schoolteachers (UCL teachers day, Feb. 2019) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Weds. 6 Feb. 2019. Talk to Classics schoolteachers at teachers' day organised by UCL and British School at Athens, about AIO, AIUK and their potential use in teaching in Schools. Feedback from organiser of the day was: "I know that talking about inscriptions to such an audience is challenging, but you seem to have done an excellent job: several teachers said on the forms that your talk was the best part of the day and that they will now try to use AIO in their teaching. There are no comments on anything that could be improved in relation to your talk." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Talk to museum visitors (Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, Feb. 2019) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | On Weds. 13th Feb. ca. 30 members of the general public attended a lunchtime talk I gave about the Attic inscriptions in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. The talk sparked questions and discussion afterwards. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/calendar/whatson/attic-inscriptions-fitzwilliam-museum |
Description | Talk: 'Ancient World Breakfast Club', London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk on the anatomical votives from the Pnyx now held in the British Museum, exploring the material and its significance for understanding ancient Athenian history (particularly attitudes to medicine and health), as well as the history of its discovery and acquisition by the British Museum. The talk was attended by a large audience, and sparked many questions on both of the themes covered. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | The Contribution of Attic Inscriptions in UK Collections to A-level Ancient History: H407/12: The Culture and Politics of Athens, c. 460-399 BC. CPD for Schoolteachers |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This was a 30-minute talk and discussion for schoolteachers and representatives from exam boards. It highlighted the relevance of the material in our project for the OCR specifications in Ancient History. there was a lively discussion provoked. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Virtual School Visit: Cheney School, Oxford |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Talk to Year 9 Museum Studies Group about ancient Athenian inscriptions. Positive feedback was received. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Visiting Fellow Lecture, British School at Athens, March 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I delivered the Visiting Fellow lecture at the British School at Athens, March 2018, on AIO and the collection of Attic inscriptions in the BSA. It was attended by 50-100 people and has been easily the most popular talk viewed on the BSA Youtube channel in 2018, with over 2000 views so far. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://youtu.be/gfvdQjoqbwk |