Digital Epigraphy: An Approach to Streamlining Egyptological Epigraphic Method
Peter Der Manuelian · Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt · 1998
of Egyptian monuments has long since reached a crisis phase. Despite the best efforts of many, the annual loss of Egypt's ancient cultural heritage proceeds at such an accelerated pace that many of the monuments taken for granted by the current generation will not survive into the new millennium (figs. 1-2).1 The focus of this paper is not the physical protection and conservation of the monuments, although this is of course of paramount importance, but rather their facsimile conservation. It is suggested that the time has come to take advantage of new technologies in re-evaluating some of Egyptology's traditional documentation methods (see fig. 3). The remarks below consider the case for streamlining the epigraphic process as currently practiced in Egyptology. I hope to avoid excess discussion here of computer terminology, specific hardware and software products, or their prices.2 This is intended to keep the focus on epigraphy and eliminate the clutter of unnecessary technical jargon, or of emphasis on a particular brand of hardware or software. Although each user might have his or her own equipment preferences, satisfactory results are attainable with most of the major brands of computer platforms currently available. Moreover, due to the daunting pace of current technological developments, detailed descriptions of specific equipment, and indeed the state of the art in general, will most likely be out of date by the time these remarks appear in print. The underlying epigraphic principles, however, will not.