The subject of the interdisciplinary project, which combines egyptological research with methods from computer philology, consists of the ancient Egyptian scripts called Hieratic and cursive hieroglyphic script, both having been used alongside monumental hieroglyphic script for over 3000 years. The inventory of signs taken from selected texts is systematically and digitally recorded with different…
With its scope and diverse subject matter, Arabic literature is one of the richest in the world. Beginning in the 7th century CE, it blossomed within a civilization characterized by a vast network of cultural traditions and ties that were shaped by Islam. Like the Akkadian and Chinese literatures, Arabic literature is an ancient and erudite archive of knowledge. Until well into the 19th century,…
The second half of the 6th century AD marks a significant epoch in the history of Chinese Buddhism. In the years 577/578, the faithful suffered persecution under the secular state of Zhou. Concurrently, monks made great strides in translating the writings of the Buddha, resulting in a completely transformed appreciation of his teachings. Originally hailing from India, this religion was now adapted…
The aim of the project described below is to develop two fundamental desiderata of Koranic research: an edition of the Koranic text that meets critical standards and a comprehensive commentary on the Koran that consistently interprets it in the context of its historical context of origin. In contrast to the Kairen Koran edition of 1923, which is currently widespread, the project presented here is…
Ceiling and mural paintings are constitutive elements in the design of baroque interiors. Unlike all other forms of pictorial art, these truly three-dimensional artistic media define early modern architecture literally from above, through colourful and complex iconographic programmes: in ecclesiastical as well as secular environments, in residential palaces and ceremonial halls, churches and…
Headed by Prof. Dr. Christian Leitz, Institute for Ancient Near Eastern Studies (IANES), Department of Egyptology, this research project’s aim is the analysis of the contents of the so-called temple texts which form ancient Egypt’s largest and (regardless of chronological and geographical differences) cohesive textual corpus. Most striking about this corpus besides its extent and frequently…
Since 2005, e-codices has been editing medieval and modern manuscripts on the Internet as the digital manuscript library of Switzerland. Its high-quality and innovative presentation makes it a nationally and internationally recognized research tool. Currently 2'480 manuscripts from 97 libraries are online (as of October 26, 2020). The project is freely accessible (Open Access). The goal is to…
With the project “Grundlagen, Normen und Kriterien der ethischen Urteilsbildung in den Biowissenschaften – Referenzzentrum” the German Reference Centre for Ethics in the Life Sciences (DRZE) creates the scientific basis for a qualified bioethical discussion in a German, European, and International framework. For this purpose, the relevant interdisciplinary information, the social issues that have…
The Swiss Inventory of Coin Finds (SICF) is an information and documentation centre which records and documents the numismatic sources – coin finds and relevant documents – from Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein.
The Swiss Inventory of Coin Finds (SICF) was founded in 1992 by the Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences (SAHS). We have been located since 2015 at…
Printed eulogies or funeral sermons dating back to the two centuries between 1550 and 1750, gained huge significance regarding the exploration of Early Modern history next to its initial form as funeral sermons of the Protestant upper- and middleclass. The eulogies contain more or less extensive biographies and therefore constitute one of the most meaningful types of historical sources…
Human evolution is a story of expansions. During the last two million years the genus Homo spread from Africa into Asia and Europe in several waves of migration. New species developed and old groups became extinct (range expansions). As early as three million years ago, hominins had established new ways of dealing with their specific environment through culture. Stone tools produced with the help…
The database documents the Hôtel de Musique's lively theatrical activity from 1766 to 1905, with a repertoire that includes theatre, opera, ballet, concerts and extraordinary events. The inventory provides a lively and colourful picture of Bernese theatre culture in the 19th century.
The project was developed in 2008 as part of a lecture on Bernese theatre history in the Seminar of Swiss Opera…
The Buddhist cave complexes in the region of Kucha, located on the northern Silk Road (in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China), house impressive wall paintings dating approximately from the 5th to 10th century. These are now, for the first time, being documented, studied, and made digitally accessible. In a project of the Saxon Academy of Sciences in Leipzig, research…
The project aims at an in-depth analysis and presentation of the scientific relations between Germany and the Russian Empire in chemistry, pharmacy, and medicine in the 19th century. Such a scientific study is not yet available. The research of german-russian scientific relations for the given period will provide insights into the development of science in Germany and Russia at that time as well…