Abstract

The FAIR Epigraphy Project (2022-2026; www.inscriptiones.org) responded to the community’s needs to deliver interoperable infrastructure for epigraphic research. The 2022 community survey identified the most pressing issues hindering the progress of digital epigraphy: the lack of systematisation of core bibliography, resulting in a multiplicity of identifiers, and an underdeveloped ontological framework, limiting the applicability of Linked Open Data Principles. To solve these immediate issues, the FAIR Epigraphy project developed several tools showcasing their utility.

The FAIR Bibliography generates and maintains unique stable identifiers (URIs) for bibliographic items referenced in epigraphic studies in machine-readable format and allows for better interoperability and findability of epigraphic datasets. The FAIR Ontology and Vocabularies framework formalises relationships between epigraphic entities, materials, persons, and places, enabling semantic queries across distributed datasets. Built on CIDOC-CRM and EpiOnt, the ontology supports complex research questions about ancient communication practices. The controlled vocabularies establish stable terminologies for inscription classification, including type of inscription, bilingualism, and execution technique and others. Developed collaboratively with major databases (EDH, EDR, ISicily, RIB), these vocabularies extend EAGLE foundations whilst ensuring alignment with other LOD resources. The FAIR Browser provides user-friendly interfaces for exploring vocabularies and querying linked datasets, lowering technical barriers whilst demonstrating practical LOD applications. Together, these tools establish reusable infrastructure for semantic epigraphy, facilitating cross-database queries, multilingual access, and integration with broader digital humanities ecosystems. The presentation evaluates outcomes against community requirements and identifies sustainable development priorities beyond 2026, demonstrating how collaborative infrastructure addresses pressing methodological challenges in 21st-century epigraphy.

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