Generating Jebel Barkal:听Metadata Organization from the Field Diaries of Dr. George A. Reisner at Jebel Barkal
Annissa Malvoisin, Archival Researcher for the Jebel Barkal Archaeological Project,听2021 Strange/Midkiff Families Summer Stipend Recipient
Jebel Barkal.
The听听directed by Dr. Geoff Emberling听investigates the royal听Egyptian鈥�Nubian听site of听Jebel Barkal听鈥�听a central religious听locality听that emphasized听the omnipresence of听Amun, linking Egyptian and Nubian ideological thought in one听dedicated听area.听The site was occupied first听by Egypt听in the New Kingdom and was established as the 鈥渃ultic duplicate鈥� of Luxor听in Nubia (Kendall,听2010).听It had since been听ruled by various Egyptian听and听Napatan kings,听who听also听contributed听to the听Temple of Amun听and administrative buildings up until the Meroitic period.听Prior to Dr. Emberling, and听Dr. Timothy Kendall, Dr. George A. Reisner excavated the site and did not听publish his findings in an听official site report.听Recordings of his听work听from听between 1916 and 1920,听sponsored听by theMuseum of听Fine Arts, Boston听where he served as听Curator of Egyptian听Art,听as well as Harvard University,听have since听been transcribed听(unpublished)听by听Dr. Emberling听and听Nami Kaneko.听Dows Dunham,听who became Curator听Egyptian Art听at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston听after Reisner,听has also published听a series of听5 volumes听covering the excavation of royal Kushite cemeteries听upon which they worked together. Much of the听information听on the听objects听discovered听at these sites, including photography, contextual findspot, and听provenance,听are accessible on the richly comprehensive Museum of Fine Arts, Boston website.
The section of the project that I听oversaw听as an archival researcher听involved听reading through the听transcription听from his archaeological excavations at听Jebel Barkal and Nuri between 1919 and 1920.听The听purpose of this research was听to听locate,听organize, and import听the information听recorded听in the field diaries听into an online metadatabase听titled听Omeka. Omeka organizes the metadata into a searchable website听which aids听scholars and researchers听to听easily听search interrelated individuals, terms,听materials, and听buildings that relate to the site of听Jebel Barkal which have not been听previously听organized听or transcribed.
The process of learning Omeka was a fantastic experience which challenged and heightened my knowledge of online data processing on a parallel level, in addition to building expertise in curating the site for both the specialized and general public. Led by the Information Technology team at the University of Michigan, Joe Bauer and Matthew Carruthers, once the data from the transcription is organized by the desirable entry format was decided, it was imported and organized according to Omeka translation. The process is ongoing. This was a seamless experience which contributed to what will become a valuable resource for current and future archaeology at the site.
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Annissa is a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto and the Bard Graduate Center/Brooklyn Museum Postdoctoral Fellow in the Arts of Africa. Her doctoral thesis investigates the ceramic production and trade industry during Meroitic Nubia and its potential far-reaching networks linking the Nile Valley to Iron Age West African cultures.
During the summer of 2021, 17吃瓜supported 27 undergraduate and graduate students through the听. These students undertook non-fieldwork archaeological research projects led by ASOR-affiliated project directors. They also took part in monthly cohort group meetings hosted via zoom.听Read a summary of听these cohort meetings here.
Stay tuned for more updates from the 2021 Summer Stipend recipients!