Documentation of Byzantine History and Archaeology

The principal objectives of the research area “Documentation of Byzantine History and Archaeology” are the study and processing of a wide range of artifacts and sources related to the history and archaeology of the Byzantine world and the production of high-level studies based on them. Their documentation requires the systematic recording, analytical description, and interpretation of literary and non-literary texts, as well as of material remains such as inscriptions, seals, and components of a monument’s architectural and decorative programs. This research area combines methods drawn from historical research, philology, archaeology, and art history, integrating interdisciplinary approaches that deepen our understanding of Byzantium’s social, economic, and cultural dimensions. Particular emphasis is placed on documentation carried out through systematic research practices that employ both traditional and novel technological methods.

The incorporation of digital documentation into the research process is among the most dynamic aspects of this area. The use of modern information-technology tools makes possible the creation of themed digital repositories and databases, along with the organization of specialized corpora. These digital infrastructures render research results more readily accessible, permit new forms of analysis and synthesis, and facilitate interaction across different scholarly domains. Accordingly, the projects under “Documentation of Byzantine History and Archaeology” unite research experience and academic rigor with innovation, making a substantive contribution to the production of new knowledge about the Byzantine world and to methodological developments in the broader field of the Humanities.