Cultural heritage

CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (CRM) is a conceptual model used in cultural heritage to enable information integration. It provides definitions and a structured framework to describe concepts, relationships, and data used in cultural heritage documentation. The CIDOC CRM, developed and maintained over a period of more than 20 years, was initially proposed by the CIDOC Documentation Standards Working Group and is currently managed by the CIDOC CRM SIG, both of which are working groups of the CIDOC Council. In December 2006, it received official recognition as an ISO standard, and this status was reaffirmed in 2014 under the ISO 21127:2014 designation.

The Component Metadata Infrastructure provides a framework to create and use self-defined metadata formats. It relies on a modular model of so-called metadata components, which can be assembled together, to improve reuse, interoperability and cooperation among metadata modelers. The model is standardised in ISO 24622-1 and ISO 24622-2. The serialization is typically in XML. Metadata in this format are often distributed via OAI-PMH. The definition of data categories is provided externally, for example by linking to schema.org or the Clarin Concept Registry.

CRMdig, for digital preservation, is an extension tailored for the domain of digital preservation. It provides a conceptual framework for documenting and managing the lifecycle of digital objects, ensuring their long-term preservation and accessibility. CRMdig incorporates additional classes and relationships to capture the unique characteristics and requirements of digital preservation, including concepts such as file formats, metadata, migration, authenticity, and provenance. It can be used to model and manage digital collections, establish preservation policies, and implement strategies for the sustainable preservation of digital materials.

CRMsci is the extension for scientific observation and is specifically designed to support the documentation and integration of scientific data. It provides a structured framework for capturing and describing scientific observations, measurements, and experiments in various domains such as environmental studies, natural sciences, and biodiversity research.

CRMtex is the extension defined to address the documentation and representation of text-related cultural heritage objects. It provides a structured framework for describing various types of textual objects, including inscriptions, papyri, manuscripts, and other ancient texts. It aims to facilitate the organization and retrieval of text-related cultural heritage objects by providing a standardised approach to their documentation and description. CRMtex allows cultural heritage institutions, libraries, and research projects to manage and share textual resources effectively. It also enhances the interoperability of text-related data, enabling the integration of textual information from diverse sources, to facilitate scholarly research, textual analysis, and the preservation of textual cultural entities for future generations.

LIDO is an XML schema intended for delivering metadata, for use in a variety of online services, from an organization’s online collections database to portals of aggregated resources, as well as exposing, sharing, and connecting data on the web. Its strength lies in its ability to support the typical range of descriptive information about objects of material culture. It can be used for all kinds of objects, e.g., art, architecture, cultural history, history of technology, and natural history. LIDO supports multilingual application environments. Being an application of the CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (CRM), LIDO is the result of a collaborative effort of international stakeholders in the museum sector, starting in 2008, to create a common solution for contributing cultural heritage content to portals and other repositories of aggregated resources. LIDO is maintained under the patronage of CIDOC - ICOM International Committee for Documentation.

TEI/EPIDOC is a collaborative effort that combines the expertise of EpiDoc and the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI). It establishes standardised guidelines and tools for encoding scholarly and educational editions of ancient documents, embracing inscriptions, papyri, manuscripts, and other text-bearing objects. By leveraging a subset of TEI's standard, TEI/EPIDOC enables the representation of texts in a digital form while also addressing the historical context and materiality of the objects. This comprehensive approach allows scholars to publish digital editions that not only encompass the transcription and editorial treatment of the texts but also provide insights into the objects themselves. As a result, TEI/EPIDOC enriches our understanding of ancient civilizations and facilitates the dissemination of knowledge about their tangible heritage. TEI/EPIDOC is currently employed by the EAGLE Project and Epigraphy.info.