Integrating the Use of Maps in Environmental History – InUMEn

The project aims to equip the principal investigator with state-of-the-art tools and technology to enhance both the effectiveness and the innovative potential of research in environmental history. This field draws on a broad spectrum of sources to reconstruct the complex and evolving interactions between human communities and the ecosystems they inhabit. In this context, historical maps will serve as a foundational resource, offering invaluable insights into the conceptual representation of landscapes and ecosystems over time.

The Institute of Historical Research at the National Hellenic Research Foundation holds an important collection of over 500 rare maps. These maps require digitization—both to preserve them and to make them accessible for future scholarly work in environmental history. The proposed project envisions the creation of a compact, specialized laboratory within the Institute, equipped with the necessary infrastructure to support this dual objective.

The lab will include a large-format scanner for high-resolution map digitization, high-performance computers, GPS units, and licensed access to key software tools such as ArcGIS and InViVo, which are essential for sophisticated data analysis. The project ultimately aims to enable the accurate identification of historical ecosystem locations and to offer environmental historians reliable, cutting-edge tools to support high-quality, data-driven research.