The Digitization of Antiquities Project - PNC

							The Digitization of Antiquities
    Project: A Summary

           C. Alan Cheung

The Digitization of Antiquities Project
      National Palace Museum

       PNC 2004 Annual Conference
               21 October
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      OUTLINE

1. Project Goals
2. Project Structure
3. Workflows
4. Early Results
5. Future Plans and Prospects

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1. Project Goals (1/2)
    Short-term Goal
   • Completing 5,000 bronze records in 2004
   • Planning to digitize bronzes, jades, ceramics and
   curios in 2004~2006
   • Digitizing entire collection’s images and basic
   metadata
   • Developing authority file and digital archive system
   • Making available metadata for public uses



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1. Project Goals (2/2)
    Long-term Goal
    • Completing rich format metadata for research uses
    • Developing dual-language metadata system to
    cooperate and communicate with the international
    museums




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2. Project Structure
 Project Framework of the Antiquities Digitization
                      Antiquities Digitization
                              Project

                Textual    Development        Images
  Collection   Database     of Digital       Database   Authority
 Management                  Archive                      File
   System                    System
                                                  Decoration   Authority file of
            Basic   Research                       Database    Decorative motif
           Metadata Metadata

                                 Development Images     Images
                                  of Imaging Capture    Output
                                    System


                          Retrieval
                           System
                            Public
                             Use
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3. Workflows

       Images digitization workflow

       Textual data digitization workflow


       Formulation of antiquities metadata
       requirements specification




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3. Workflows (1/3)
  Images Digitization

     • Preparatory procedures
     • Considerations
     • Shooting and checking
     • Follow-up procedures
     • Output and proofing
     • Inspecting image quality
     • Copying, storing, and embedding watermarks

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3. Workflows (2/3)
  Text Data Digitization


      • Gathering text data
      • Establishing text data
      • Establishing missing characters
      • Collecting data and going online
      • Proofreading by curators, making public




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3. Workflows (3/3)
  Formulation of Metadata Specification for
  Chinese Antiquities

    • Requirement assessment & content analysis
    • System requirement specifications
    • Metadata test-bed & system development




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4. Early Results

   Imaging system
   Metadata specification for Chinese antiquities
   Digital archive system for Chinese antiquities
   Pre-Chin dynasty decoration database




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4. Early Results (1/4)
   Imaging System

   • Principles of digital photography for object images
   • Selecting the number of images
   • Actual application of the digital images




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2D Sculpture - Jade




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            3D Sculpture - Bronze
(Front, back, top, bottom, signature, lid, accessories)




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Inscription




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           The Detail Result of Imaging System
               September-December     January-September       Total
                              2003                  2004
Number of                    1,330                 3,507      4,807
Objects
Number of                     4,512                 14,298 18,810
Images
Size of Data                290 GB                 950 GB     1,240
                                                                GB
Types of       Bronzes, bronze        Bronzes, bronze
Objects        Buddhist sculpture,    mirrors, bronze
               bronze seals, etc.     Buddhist sculpture,
                                      bronze seals, jade
                                      imperial seals, snuff
                                      bottles, etc.           23
4. Early Results (2/4)
   Metadata Specification of Chinese Antiquities



            •Version status
            •Associating standards




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4. Early Results (3/4)
   Digital Archive System for Chinese Antiquities
    • Retrieve by the title of object
    • Retrieve by the period of object
    • Retrieve by the type of object




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4. Early Results (4/4)
   Pre-Chin dynasty Decoration Database
   • For authority file of decoration
   • Following by ceramics and jades’s decoration
   • Cooperating with other institutions




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5. Future Plans and Prospect

• Cooperation and communication
English version metadata system

• Creating research metadata
More rich data and more user friendly designs

• Developing the motifs authority files of Chinese
antiquities
Decoration, form and technique motifs

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The End




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