The ISEGRIM Project - a database of coins

1. Introduction

The following instructions will help you in working with the database. Since the query rules are often unfamiliar but vital for detailed use of the database we recommend printing out the following pages for easy reference.

The database is free of charge. For security reasons, however, you have to register and enter your password before being able to work.

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What is ISEGRIM?
Instructions
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This detailed questionnaire is optional. It is intended to familiarize us with the users of the database and enable us to adjust to their needs. First Name, Last Name and email-address are required for issuing an identifaction character and password. Your registration information will not be shared without your consent. (If your identification character has not been used for longer than 1 year, it will be deleted as well as the rest of your registration information.) After receiving your completed questionnaire, we will answer as soon as possible, generally the next day.

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You can start with the dialogue after putting in your user identification and password.

2. The coin description

The following example will demonstrate some of the basic rules of the description and data recovery.

1. Coin description (19060)

The description consists of one or more descriptors which define different aspects. In this description for example two descriptors (MONSTER L and PEGASOS) are allocated to the aspect VT (Type of the obverse side of the coin!). Remarks in pointed brackets behind the descriptors give additional information as well as alternatives, e.g. explanations, other interpretations, also question marks. If you click on the button ADMISSIBLE DESCRIPTORS on the homepage, you will find a list of employed descriptors.

We recommend opening an additional window of your browser (click on FILE in the tool bar). This allows you to check the list of descriptors whenever you need it while working with the database.

To select for a descriptor, enter the character string in the field provided. For example:

rt:.*protome.*

The characters ".*" selects for as many unknown signs as possible. In this case it may be placed before and behind the "Protome".

Results of this type database query might include:

MONSTER PROTOME L
MONSTER PROTOME R
ANIMAL PROTOME FR
ANIMAL PROTOME L
ANIMAL PROTOME L LE
ANIMAL PROTOME R
ANIMALS PROTOMES 2
ANIMALS PROTOMES FR 4
BIRD PROTOME L
BIRD PROTOME R

The minting period PZ between -500 and -450 specifies the time in which the coin was minted. If you are searching for a certain period in the database, enter the beginning of the period with PZ1, and the end with PZ2.

A database search for coins with the minting period

PZ1:-30 PZ2:100

will present all entries which are dated in this space of time, including all descriptions of which the dating reaches into this time period.

Therefore there will also be descriptions among the results which are dated e.g. between -100 and 0, between -50 and 150 or between 69 and 198.

The above mentioned coin description refers to two coins with similar descriptions but which in fact differ in technical data and bibliographical references. The first coin is described in the Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum v. Aulock No. 7389, the second is represented in Babelon Traitee 2,1 No. 637 and stored in the Collection of Paris.

The weight of the 'v. Aulock coin' is linked to its bibliographical reference by Index "(1)", the weigth and seize of the 'Babelon Traitee coin' has its link by Index "(2)".

3. The data recovery

On the homepage you will find two fields. The first is for the entry of specific search strings. In order to include the desired description, fill in the descriptors with its aspects in this field. Descriptors which are to be excluded from search can be entered in this second field PRECLUSION TERMS. The result will then show coins which do not have that descriptor. It is possible to search more than one descriptors among an aspect by combining the descriptors with the following connection-words:
"AND" ("&")
"OR" ("|")

By using the and-connection the program lists all entries which have both characters, by using the or-connection all those which have at least one of them.

A search string can include more than oone aspect and its descriptor(s). Each aspect and its descriptors should be separated by a space bar. (aspect:descriptor aspect:descriptor ...) A database request could look like the following example:

Asia Minor query

If the requested description at VT is intended to name either a sphinx or a griffin, you enter:

vt:sphinx or griffin

If the wanted description at VT is supposed to show a sphinx as well as a griffin, you enter:

vt:sphinx and griffin

Using the spacebar between units of aspects and descriptors defaults automatically to the and-connection as you can see in the following example:

vt:sphinx rt:griffin

Asia Minor query

pro:lycia pz1:-350 pz2:50

This request will search for coin descriptions containing the criterions "PRO:LYCIA, PZ:between -350 and 50". If you enter supplementary the

Preclusion terms

zit:troxell ll.*

the computer will search for all coin descriptions minted in the area Lykia between -350 and 50 except those coins published in Troxell.

If you need to look up an abbreviation used at ZIT:, VGL: or SG:, go back to the homepage. You will find all abbreviations for the literature listed in the BIBLIOGRAPHY. At the homepage click on:

Bibliography Query

Ask for the bibliographic specifications in the field BIB: by omitting the details as page-no. a.s.o. and adding ".*".

Bibl. Abr.

Bib:Troxell ll.*

A description of the employed literature will appear:

Query: Bibliography

Result of the database query

4. Exercise

Suppose you want to find the above coin in the literature, proceed as follows:

Search words

vt:valerian rt:woman walking r and artemis po:ephesus

START

On the screen the following information appears:

Go to end/ new query:

Altogether 11 descriptions are found!

1. Coin description (6571)
and so on

The descriptors RT:WOMAN WALKING and ARTEMIS are connected by "and". The searched descriptions among RT therefore include both, the first and the second descriptor.

By looking through the 11 descriptions it becomes clear that you can reduce the number of coin descriptons by adding the reverse attributes RA:TORCH.* or RA:BENDING BOW in the database request. To do this go back to the beginning and call

Go to end/ new query

You will find the foregoing request which can be supplied as follows:

Search words

vt:valerian rt:woman walking r and artemis po:ephesus

Preclusion terms

ra:torch.* or bending bow

START

The new display runs thus:

Go to end/ new query

Altogether 7 descriptions are found:

1. Coin description (6814)
and so on

There the descriptors RA:TORCH.* and RA:BENDING BOW are linked by "or". The use of the preclusion term tells the system that the searched description in RA neither the one nor the other descriptor can be included. By extension or restriction of the search query the amount of the found descriptions can still be reduced. The legend states that the wanted coin description refers to a fourth Neokory as the title of the town. Therefore you supply the search criterion as follows:

Search words

vt:valerian rt:woman walking r and artemis po:ephesus ti:newkorwn d

Preclusion terms

ra:torch.* or bending bow

START

Now only two descriptions are left. The second one is related to coin in the picture.

Go to end/ new query

Altogether 2 descriptions are found

1. Coin description (6815)
and so on

2. Coin description (99226)

You would have found this description without any difficulty if you had entered the transcription VS: AYT PO LIK OYALERIANO

5. Aspect names and their abbreviations

The database search depends on elements of description (single or with reference to another). These describe an aspect of the coin.

LIST OF ASPECT NAMES:

Spatial and temporal classification:

Information from coin legends:

Obverse:

Reverse:

Technical Details:

Bibliographical references

THE BASIC RULES FOR THE ASPECTS:

ERD:
The area is designated by an abbreviation for the present project is always AM (= Asia Minor). Pieces published as coins from Asia Minor but which do not correspond to the antique region will be described as OTHERS. Fake coins will be marked as FORGERY.

PRO: PO: PH:
Province, Place of minting and minting authority: the orthography corresponds to the indices of B.V. Head, Historia Numorum, Oxford^2 1911; the latinized form of the minting authority (PH) us normally used.

PZ:
The minting period comprises 3 digits, the balance being made up with the appropriate number of zeros, as in the case of the coin number. Dates B.C. are distinguished by placing the sign "-" before the first digit, dates A.D. by placing the sign "." in the same position.

M:
The metal is indicated by the usual abbreviations, viz. "AE", "AR" or "AR SUB", "AU", "EL", "PB".

ST:
The die-axis is expressed in terms of the hours of a standard clock-face, with the addition of an initial zero in the case of 'hours' 1 through 9.

GR: GEW:
Diameter and weight are expressed in millimetres and grams respectively. In either case the value comprises 3 digits before the decimal point and two after the point, zeros should be used to fill in the balance.

ZIT: VGL: SG:
References are cited according to the conventions of scholarly publication. The full-text equivalents of abbreviated refer- ences may be called up from the special section of the data- file in which they are entered. The individual characteristics of coins contained in references VGL or SG are entered under concepts ST, GR and GEW, with descriptor and source cross-referenced according to the rules set out below (cross-references). In the case of published collections for as yet no established abbreviation exists (e.g. collections tions published in sale catalogues), the following form of reference is used: "SLG name of collector, (lot)number". In the case of coins from unpublished collections, the following formula is employed: "COLL name of collection", an inventory number should be added where possible.

VS: RS: BN: BT: TI: SP:
Under these headings the legends are entered, either in full or in part. The type of script in which the legend appears on the coin is indicated by a letter entered at the end of the particular heading, as follows: "G" for Greek, "L" for Latin and "S" for other. Greek script is transliterated according to the following rules: Greek letters having a similar phonetic value to a character in the Latin alphabet use that letter. To express the letters Omega and Eta, "W" and "H", respectively, are used. Greek diphthongs normally shown in Latin as a "C'" for Chi, and "P'" for Psi. Part-legends entered under BN, BT, TI or SP are shown as they appear on the coin, including any abbreviations.

VT: RT:
The type description usually comprises more than one descrip- tor. Each individual descriptor is separated by the sign "/" and entered in sequence from left to right. To facilitate the alphabetical ordering of a large number of descriptors and so the computer's capacity for dialogue, a logical structure is achieved by inserting into the descriptors certain general terms such as HEAD, PORTRAIT, ANIMAL, MONSTER, WREATH. Where more than one person or thing is described, an initial descriptor names the group or complex, as in the following examples: PERSONS THREE, MONSTERS TWO, VIEW OF ARENA. The group descriptor is then followed by individual descriptors identifying the major components of the type from left to right. Commonly used terms are abbreviated as follows: "R" = to the right, "L" = to the left, "FR" = to the front; "RE" and "LI" stand, respectively, for 'on the right' and 'on the left'. Where "H" is entered before the letter to indicate the direction a standing figure is facing. The direction refers to the head, rather than to the whole body (e.g. "STANDING HEAD RIGHT, LEFT, TO THE FRONT"). Descriptors that interpret are to be distinguished from descriptors that describe. The former normally corresponds to a name. It must be placed after descriptors that describe, as in the following examples: HEAD OF WOMAN TO THE RIGHT/ATHENA, WOMAN STANDING, HEAD TO THE LEFT/ATHENA, ANIMAL STANDING TO THE LEFT/STAG. Precise meanings are given to certain terms. Since it does not correspond to ancient usage, the modern term 'bust' has been deliberately avoided. In its place, the following conventions are observed: PORTRAIT is used for the depictions of the human head of a historical person, HEAD for all other depictions of a head (e.g. a god), and PROTOME for depictions of the head or forepart of an animal. The term TEMPLE-FRONT, with two columns is employed in the following type description, TEMPLE-FRONT, WITH TWO COLUMNS/ WHEREIN/ LEGEND even though what is usually intended by this description is an inscribed stele. The descriptor NEXT TO indicates a direct connection between a person and an object (e.g. APOLLO RESTING ON A TRIPOD SET LEFT; whereas AN ISOLATED TRIPOD SET TO THE LEFT OF APOLLO.

VA: RA:
Individual elements of the main type or types depicted are listed under these headings. As in the case of the main types, the order of entry is from left to right. As type are entered here (e.g. OF AN ALTAR, LIGHTED; OF A STAG, HEAD LOWERED; or FOOT LIFTED. A cross-reference between 'attribute' and main type is achieved by applying the rule on the attribution set or below.

VF: RF:
These concepts are reserved for variable elements depicted on the coin, but which are not part of the type proper. They include symbols, monograms naming magistrates or identifying particular issues, and chronological expressions.

VG: RG:
The shape of a countermark is indicated as ROUND or SQUARE in a descriptor at the head of the concept. Details of the countermark are then given according to the rules for type descriptions.

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CROSS-REFERENCES. A common cipher, placed between brackets, serves to link descriptors entered under different concepts. Such cross- references, or attributions, are employed only in the case of a clear association between the elements. The computer is able to reassemble them as aspects of a single statement. The procedure permits a descriptor entered under VT (main type) to be related to a descriptor entered under VA (attribute), or one under RT to one under RA. Similarly, data entered under ST (die-axis), GR (diameter), or GEW (weight) may be attributed, as appropriate, to an entry under ZIT, VGL or SG (bibliographical references). This enables details of more than one coin to be entered under the same description without losing the data relating to a particular specimen.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. Where the coin description differs either in content or in interpretation from the information given in the bibliographi- cal reference, details of the difference, placed between square brackets, are added to the appropriate descriptor. In cases of doubt, the sign "?" is employed. Disagreement over interpretation is summarized in the square brackets added to the relevant descriptor. It is intended only as a commentary on the particular coin description. Such information is suppressed during sorting-operations and cannot be recovered by the dialogue process.

O.v.Vacano

6. Input of the database request

The database request Asia Minor offers the following fields:

Searchwords: It is necessary to enter a condition term in order to select coin descriptions. This condition term consists of a series of clauses, like the following model:

Name of aspect: Descriptor [and/ or another descriptor [etc.]]

Example:
RT:ZEUS AND HERMES,
RT:ZEUS OR HERMES

It is not necessary to write out the descriptors or to know them exactly. Instead of entering the complete descriptor, maskings can be employed. Maskings are:

"." for any sign, "*" for any number of the preceded sign, "[A-F,Z]" for a sign resultating from this group: The masking ".*" stands therefore for any number of signs.

Example: RT:WOMAN.* stands for WOMAN WALKING/ SITTING/ STANDING/...

In case more than one clause is entered (for example: RT:ZEUS RA:THUNDERBOLT), only those descriptors appear which fulfill both clauses. Enter "and" or "or"!

preclusion terms: The use of the preclusion term restricts the data recovery by the search string which has been entered in this field.

sort for: Here aspects can be put in. According to them the computer rearranges the results. Usually the default setting follows the assigned description number "MR".

deliverable fields: Here the output can be restricted to the part actually required. This reduces the transmission time considerably.

Important: Misspelled descriptors (undistinct legend or other mistakes) cannot be processed. To get the best results it is recommended to enter less, but accurate information, in order to define a coin.

H.Laabs