Conference | Ancient World Mapping Center

A 1980 APA/SCS committee report (Research Tools for the Classics) was correct on both counts to declare cartography at that date “an area of extremely great importance, where the state of our tools is utterly disastrous.” The panel briefly discusses the disappointing lack of progress made during the previous past century, and advances reasons for its limitations (Papers #1, 2). The main focus of the five papers, however, is on the transformation successfully achieved since around 1980, and still ongoing.

Three shifts may be identified as the keys to this transformation. First, as Paper #1 explains, the more open, culturally sensitive approach to pre-modern cartography generated by the geographers Brian Harley and David Woodward has unlocked a fruitful, far-reaching re-appraisal of the purpose and value of ancient maps which is by no means yet exhausted. Second, Paper #2 recalls the decisive insistence by the 1980 APA committee that, in view of the inadequacy of existing efforts worldwide to produce a major classical atlas or equivalent, the APA itself should take the lead in sponsoring one. After initial failure, a decade-long international collaborative project to create such a reference work was successfully launched and funded, resulting in the publication of the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World by Princeton University Press in 2000. Third, the fortuitous transition from film-based mapmaking to digital during the 1990s made it practical to convert the Atlas and its data – with the use of digital technology – into a far more flexible and versatile resource than previously envisaged.

This technology, which has itself continued to develop, has given cartography a scope, complexity and richness unimagined in 1980. Paper #3 in broad terms appreciates and illustrates this capacity for the advancement of the ancient field. Paper #4 does likewise, but with specific reference to the expanding range of the Ancient World Mapping Center, the first institution of its type to be established (in 2000) for promoting cartography, geographic information science and historical cartography in the ancient field. The Center was an unforeseen, visionary outgrowth of the project to create the Barrington Atlas, one which has amply fulfilled its promise. Paper #5 offers an outstanding instance of how state-of-the-art digital technology can now bring to the study of a Roman monument a depth of insight unattainable until recently. Moreover, this exciting new work on the Forma Urbis Romae fragments and the surviving wall to which they were once attached is a model of collaboration between Rome’s Musei Capitolini and the Ancient World Mapping Center.

The coherent, logical sequence of the panel’s five papers demonstrates to SCS not only that cartography today remains more than ever of extremely great importance to the ancient field, but also that the state of tools for it has now changed from disastrous to extraordinary, with further creative developments to be confidently anticipated.

N.B. Because of more or less certain difficulties in obtaining permissions, the images shown at the panel to accompany each paper are not included here.

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Digital Cartography: New Maps, Ancient History, November 2-3, Conference Program

October 5, 2018 in Conference, Interest

Digital Cartography: New Maps, Ancient History

Nov. 2-3, 2018

A conference co-sponsored by the Ancient World Mapping Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Duke University’s Departments of Classical Studies and of Art, Art History & Visual Studies

All are welcome. There is no registration fee, but do please notify us by October 28^th that you plan to come on either or both days: just send a message with your name to awmc@unc.edu, with “Conference 2018” in the message subject line. You will then receive details about the UNC-Duke Robertson bus and Saturday parking at Duke.

PROGRAM

Friday, November 2^nd

2.15-3.45 pm AWMC Open House – drop in at your convenience – with demonstration of current work there, Ancient World Mapping Center, UNC, Chapel Hill, Davis Library 5010

5.15-6.45 pm (Rubenstein 249, in Duke University Rubenstein Library, West Campus) Welcome, and Keynote Address by Dr. George Bevan (Queen’s University, Ontario),

“Photogrammetry and Heritage Documentation in the 21^st Century: Lessons from the Past and Challenges for the Future”

7.00-8.00 pm (Duke University Bryan Center) Reception

Saturday, November 3^rd

(Rubenstein 249, in Duke University Rubenstein Library, for the entire day)

9.00 am Coffee, tea, juices, pastries

Session 1 (chair: Mary T. Boatwright)

9.15-9.50 am Christopher S. Saladin (University of Minnesota), “City in Transition: Mapping the Transformation of Ancient Carthage”

9.50-10.25 am Loren T. Cowdery (University of Minnesota), “In Search of a Blueprint: Using GIS to Map the Republican Empire in the Western Mediterranean”

10.25-11.00 am Gabriel Moss (UNC, Chapel Hill), “Mapping the Jewish Revolt (66-73 CE): A GIS Analysis of Provincial Resistance”

11.00-11.20 am Break (coffee, tea, juices, pastries)

Session 2 (chair: Maurizio Forte)

11.20-11.55 am Chad Uhl (University of Kansas, Lawrence), “Quod versu dicere non est. Implications of the Unnamed Oppidulum in Horace’s Satires 1.5”

11.55am-12.30 pm Micah Myers and Joseph Murphy (Kenyon College), “Teaching Roman Mobility: Digital Visualization in the Classroom and in Undergraduate Research”

12.30-1.05 pm Lindsey A. Mazurek (University of Oregon) and Cavan W. Concannon (University of Southern California), “Mapping Social History: New Approaches to Epigraphy at Ostia”

1.05-2.15 pm Lunch (Duke campus eateries in the Brodhead Center – on your own)

Session 3 (chair: Richard Talbert)

2.15-2.50 pm Katherine McCusker (Duke University) and Antonio LoPiano (Duke University), “Secrets Beneath the Surface: GPR and Remote Sensing at Vulci”

2.50-3.25 pm Kristen Jones (Queen’s University, Ontario), “Mapping the Original Location of the Forma Urbis Romae: Digital Methods and Technical Constraints”

3.25-4.00 pm Adam Mertel, Peter Ondrejka, David Zbíral, Hana Hořínková (Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic), “Early Christian Baptisteries – From Geocoding to Space-time Exploration”

4.00 pm Closing remarks

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Digital Cartography: New Maps, Ancient History, Call For Papers Deadline Extended (September 19, 2018)

September 12, 2018 in Conference

Due to Hurricane Florence, the deadline for abstract submissions has been extended to September 19, 2018.

Digital Cartography: New Maps, Ancient History

November 2 and 3, 2018

at Duke University and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Co-organizers: Mary T. Boatwright, Maurizio Forte, Richard Talbert

Keynote speaker: Dr George Bevan, Associate Professor of Geography and Planning (cross-appointed to Art History/Conservation, Geological Science and Engineering, and Classics), Queen’s University, Ontario, Canada

Duke’s Departments of Classical Studies and of Art and Art History and Visual Studies, in partnership with the Ancient World Mapping Center at UNC Chapel Hill, seek paper proposals for Digital Cartography, a conference on digital mapping and its multiple potential applications for a richer understanding of ancient history. We invite papers on individual or collaborative projects involving such approaches as mapping, photogrammetry, G.I.S. and remote sensing, virtual reality systems, the documentation of archaeological data, and communication both in the classroom and to a wider public. Preference will be given to proposals from graduate students and junior faculty.

Interested speakers (20 minutes maximum) should submit an abstract of no more than 500 words together with a brief C.V. to awmc@unc.edu by September 19, 2018 (please enter “DigCart Abstract” in the message subject line). Those whose papers are selected will be notified by October 1st.

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Impact of Empire 14, Roman Landscapes, 12-15 June, Call for Papers

May 9, 2018 in Conference

The fourteenth workshop of the network Impact of Empire will take place in Mainz (Germany), June 12-15, 2019, with as its subject: The impact of Empire on Roman landscapes.

Committee: Marietta Horster, Olivier Hekster & Alexandra Busch

The subject on „Roman Landscapes“ addresses the world outside the cities and focuses upon how space becomes “Roman”: The impact of Rome on the shaping and structuring of space, the symbolic, literary, political and legal creation of a Roman landscape, changes in the cultivation of land related to the Roman dominance.

Topics:

Many subjects can be favourably explored, but to ensure coherence we will limit our choice of proposals to the following topics:

1. Mapping the Roman World: concepts and practices (traditional region or ethne/kingdom and province: space, natural and political borders; …)

3. Narratives of Roman landscapes (e.g. Georgica; Greek novel; Pompeian wall painting; artificial landscapes in villas; otium)

4. Rituals of integrating landscape into the Roman World (e.g. cult rituals and processions, centuriation, colony foundation)

5. Symbols marking a landscape as Roman (e.g. milestones; Roman villae; monumental cenotaphs and festivals; streets and aqueducts; military camps and canabae)

6. Appropriation by exploitation of land and natural resources (e.g. mining, drainage of marsh-land; artificial harbours; terracing; military food supply; diversification and intensification of agriculture)

Proposals:

We invite both established and early career scholars interested in presenting a paper or a poster to send the provisional title, a short summary (c. 100-150 words) of their paper or poster and brief biographical note to roman.landscape@uni-mainz.de .

About 20 participants of the workshop will read a paper; c. 5 participants will present a poster. Speaking time: 25 minutes. Only papers which directly address the issues raised in this call for paper can be considered for selection.

Deadline for the submission of proposals for paper / poster: 30 August, 2018.

Publication:

Papers, if of sufficient quality, will be published in the proceedings of the workshop, by Brill, Leiden – Boston.

Participants are expected to cover their travel expenses, though there may be a few stipends for especially junior scholars who cannot get reimbursement from their home institutions. The organizers are going to offer accommodation and lunches to the speakers and some meals.

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Panel Call for Papers, Limes Congress, Serbia, September 2018

December 13, 2017 in Conference

Please feel encouraged to visit the call for session #29 “Mapping the Edge of Empire” at limes2018.org/themes-and-sessions/#29 and to propose a paper by March 1, 2018.

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“Mapping the Past” Videos Now Available

April 18, 2016 in Conference

The recordings of last month’s conference are now up on YouTube. If you couldn’t make it to the conference, you can now watch the proceedings. Thanks again to everyone who made the event possible, and for all our presenters for allowing us to record and post their talks.

Conference Videos

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Announcing AWMC Conference 2016

March 2, 2016 in Conference

Mapping the Past: GIS Approaches to Ancient History

April 7-9, 2016

The Ancient World Mapping Center is very excited to announce that it’s first ever academic conference will be held on April 7-9 on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill. ”Mapping the Past: GIS Approaches to Ancient History,” features a slate of exceptional scholars from eight universities and three countries. Check out the flyer below of visit the conference page for more information.

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