Inscriptiones Graecae
Encyclopedia
The Inscriptiones Graecae (IG) (Latin for Greek inscriptions), is an academic project originally begun by the Prussian Academy of Science, and today continued by its successor organisation, the Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften. Its aim is to collect and publish all known ancient inscriptions from the mainland and islands of Greece
.
The project was designed as a continuation of the Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum (Corpus of Greek Inscriptions) published by August Böckh between 1825 and 1860, and as a parallel to the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum
(Corpus of Latin Inscriptions) founded by Theodor Mommsen
in 1847. From 1860 to 1902, it was directed by Adolf Kirchhoff
. From 1902 to 1931, Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff
was in control of the project; he reorganised and renergised the IG, turning it into one of the most important series for the publication of source material in Classical studies.
After The Second World War
, the project suffered from a lack of financial and motivational support. It came to a temporary halt in 1972, but was revived by the newly reformed Berlin-Brandenburg Academy in 1994.
So far, 49 fascicles have been published, some of them in several editions. The preparation of individual volumes is partially entrusted to external scholars, in which case the Berlin Academy retains the final editing
. The Academy also maintains a collection of "squeezes" (mechanical paper copies) of Greek inscriptions. The project is currently directed by Peter Funke. Editors of previous volumes include Wilhelm Dittenberger, Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen, Johannes Kirchner and Günther Klaffenbach.
All editorial texts are published in Latin, a fact that is occasionally criticised in view of the decreasing use of that language and the extra effort required from editors. Up to now, the inscriptions were published without translation
, but since recently, German
translations for all new volumes are available on the IG website.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
The project was designed as a continuation of the Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum (Corpus of Greek Inscriptions) published by August Böckh between 1825 and 1860, and as a parallel to the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum
Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum
The Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum is a comprehensive collection of ancient Latin inscriptions. It forms an authoritative source for documenting the surviving epigraphy of classical antiquity. Public and personal inscriptions throw light on all aspects of Roman life and history...
(Corpus of Latin Inscriptions) founded by Theodor Mommsen
Theodor Mommsen
Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician, archaeologist, and writer generally regarded as the greatest classicist of the 19th century. His work regarding Roman history is still of fundamental importance for contemporary research...
in 1847. From 1860 to 1902, it was directed by Adolf Kirchhoff
Adolf Kirchhoff
Johann Wilhelm Adolf Kirchhoff , German classical scholar and epigraphist.-Biography:He was born in Berlin. In 1865 he was appointed professor of classical philology in the university of his native city...
. From 1902 to 1931, Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff
Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff
Enno Friedrich Wichard Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff was a German Classical Philologist. Wilamowitz, as he is known in scholarly circles, was a renowned authority on Ancient Greece and its literature.- Youth :...
was in control of the project; he reorganised and renergised the IG, turning it into one of the most important series for the publication of source material in Classical studies.
After The Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the project suffered from a lack of financial and motivational support. It came to a temporary halt in 1972, but was revived by the newly reformed Berlin-Brandenburg Academy in 1994.
So far, 49 fascicles have been published, some of them in several editions. The preparation of individual volumes is partially entrusted to external scholars, in which case the Berlin Academy retains the final editing
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
. The Academy also maintains a collection of "squeezes" (mechanical paper copies) of Greek inscriptions. The project is currently directed by Peter Funke. Editors of previous volumes include Wilhelm Dittenberger, Friedrich Hiller von Gaertringen, Johannes Kirchner and Günther Klaffenbach.
All editorial texts are published in Latin, a fact that is occasionally criticised in view of the decreasing use of that language and the extra effort required from editors. Up to now, the inscriptions were published without translation
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
, but since recently, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
translations for all new volumes are available on the IG website.
External links
- Searchable Greek Inscriptions (Packard Humanities Institute), including the complete Inscriptiones Graecae corpora
- Inscriptiones Graecae homepage (in German)
- History of the Inscriptiones Graecae (PDF)