SQUEEZES

Since its inception, the Section of Greek and Roman Antiquity (SGRA) of the Institute of Historical Research (IHR) at the National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF) has placed particular emphasis on the study of ancient inscriptions. Over more than 45 years of activity, the Institute’s researchers have produced a vast collection of squeezes—mechanically made negative impressions of inscriptions on filter paper—numbering more than 3,500. As is well known, squeezes are among the most reliable documentation tools available to epigraphists, as they preserve the original text of an inscription with remarkable precision.

The project aims to create an open-access online infrastructure/digital repository and to carry out the initial digitization of part of the collection, making it accessible to both the Greek and international research communities as well as to the wider public interested in related topics. The SGRA of the IHR/NHRF holds one of the largest collections of squeezes in Greece (probably second only to that of the Epigraphic Museum) and likely the most significant collection of Macedonian inscription squeezes worldwide.

This important collection is securely stored in the premises of the NHRF but remains inaccessible to external researchers. The project’s goals are twofold: first, to digitize part of the squeezes, and second, to create a digital repository that will be freely accessible to the national and international scholarly community and the general public. The material is expected to become a valuable resource for new research initiatives and to serve as informative content for broader cultural activities. Moreover, digitization will serve as an additional means of preservation, as squeezes can deteriorate or be damaged through frequent handling.