FERCAN, Patrimonium, and Celtic Divine Names in the Inscriptions of the Roman Province Germania Inferior and Superior
Abstract
This presentation introduces an FWF-funded digital epigraphy project on Celtic divine names attested in Latin inscriptions from the Roman provinces Germania Inferior, Germania Superior (in two sub-regions), and Raetia. The project brings these provinces together in a single analytical and editorial framework in order to address research gaps in the study of religious phenomena arising from Roman–Celtic cultural contact and transfer. A central aim is the creation of a born-digital, open-access edition and database hosted currently in GAMS (Geisteswissenschaftliches Asset Management System), based on a standardized XML schema and enriched through persistent links to major epigraphic and prosopographic resources (e.g., EDH, EDCS, Trismegistos) as well as GIS-based visualizations and full-text search capabilities. The talk outlines the project’s development from earlier workflows (individual Word files and Excel transfer) to a purpose-built online input mask that supports consistent data capture and facilitates direct processing by the project’s digital humanities partner (ZIM). A detailed case study (Mercurius Cissonius; database ID CF-GeS-1082) demonstrates the editorial logic and metadata structure, including critical apparatus, bibliography, object description, provenance, dating criteria, and controlled vocabularies (thesaurus/index). The presentation concludes with the platform’s current features and expected outputs through mid-2027, including an integrated online publication and accompanying written volumes.