Ontology-Mediated Historical Data Modeling: Theoretical and Practical Tools for an Integrated Construction of the Past

Esther Travé Allepuz,Pablo Del Fresno Bernal,Alfred Mauri Martí

doi:10.3390/info11040182

Esther Travé Allepuz, Pablo Del Fresno Bernal + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/info11040182

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Abstract

Building upon the concepts of constructed past theory, this paper introduces the outcome of ontology-mediated data modeling developed by the authors within the last 15 years. Assuming that the past is something constructed through reflection of former times, one of our major concerns is guaranteeing the traceability of the construction process of an integrated historical discourse built from all available sources of information, regardless of their origin or nature. Therefore, by means of defining key concepts such as ‘unit of topography’ and ‘actor’, we created an information system for data gathering and exploitation and applied it to some experiences of construction of the past. When applied within the archaeological domain, the result is an archaeological information system interoperable with other sources of historical information. Its strength is that it ensures the traceability of the process from the beginning avoiding the introduction and repetition of errors within the system. Along with the main case example developed in this paper, we also summarize some other data modeling examples within the same conceptual framework.

Highlights

This study addresses some problems and tested solutions—that historians experience when approaching knowledge of the past
According to the main research developed in recent years and summarized our main goal within this paper is to propose a specific ontology-mediated data modeling and a research information system (RIS) built
Data gathering and exploitation according to the use of Unit of Topography (UT) and Ac as minimal units of information linked though values and relationships led to a more precise knowledge of the County of Barcelona [25]

Summary

Introduction

This study addresses some problems and tested solutions—that historians experience when approaching knowledge of the past. According to the principles of constructed past theory, published recently [1], we aim to introduce and discuss the validity of our information system to gather and exploit historical data, and the underpinning concepts of our methodological approach. The narration of the past offered by historians—the term is understood here in the broadest possible sense, including archaeologists, palaeographers, anthropologists, philologists, and all scholars dealing with the past in some way at some point of their research—is a construction built from what is left, a collection of remains of different nature and kind. The past is represented, mediated by witnessing or speaking for it in its absence and connecting it with contemporary understanding

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