Latin inscriptions in the Ashmolean Museum: influencing curatorial practice and extending educational scope to new audiences

我们AHRC赠款的核心研究部分--通过奖学金和技术促进英国最古老的公共博物馆对拉丁文铭文的获取--是博物馆收藏的470个拉丁文铭文的新版。我们在储藏室和档案馆的工作发现了未发表的碑文，重新发现了收藏中被认为丢失的碑文，并通过使用现代数字技术对已发表的碑文进行了新的解读和解释。纪念性和非纪念性铭文都有可能提供对个人生活的洞察；这种讲述过去故事的可能性被证明是有效的，向博物馆的参观者展示了拉丁铭文如何改变他们对罗马社会的看法。我们与阿什莫尔的文物、设计、保护和教育部门的工作人员合作，在博物馆开发新的陈列，设计创新的活动，吸引公众参与我们的研究，利用社交媒体和数字资源提供公共参与的联合计划，以及公共讲座和画廊之旅，以及与学校的多方面接触，为中小学提供资源和活动，为中学教师和博物馆志愿者提供培训，&与剑桥学校经典项目合作，制作用于课堂教学的迷你电影，用于教授GCSE古典文明。我们已经系统地评估了不同形式的公众参与的有效性，并继续探索创新的影响途径，利用参与者的反馈为未来的计划提供参考。首先，我们将为英国和欧洲的博物馆馆长组织两个工作坊，以交流关于促进公众获取拉丁文铭文的成功策略的知识。其次，我们将与Warwick Sutton Scholars合作，为来自更广泛参与背景的学校的学生提供学习新技能的机会，以便能够从事自己的研究，了解罗马文化和拉丁语，向罗马世界介绍那些没有机会将古典学科作为日常课程一部分的学生。第三，我们将调整我们为英国学校创建的教育资源，以便在北美和澳大拉西亚使用。在我们的指导下，更多的教师将有机会接触到可用于教授古典文明&拉丁语的主要素材。最后，我们将收集各种日常用品的复制品，上面刻有不同种类的拉丁铭文：这些复制品将供教育部使用。用于学校参观和视障游客的触摸旅游。有些推测，我们还想探索这种物品的潜力，通过将文物带到社区并领导关于书写技术的互动活动，来刺激患有中风和痴呆症的成年人群体。我们的研究突出了博物馆中未出版和鲜为人知的铭文作为罗马社会历史来源的潜力。我们为不同群体提议的活动将带来几个好处：遗产管理方面的专业策展人将能够就促进公众获取拉丁铭文的最佳做法交流意见；我们的项目将向英国的在校学生介绍那些原本不学习古典科目的学生对原始手工艺品的兴奋，并将鼓励他们发展开展和展示研究的技能；为英国创建的教育资源将被改编用于国际使用，教师将得到支持在他们的教学中使用拉丁铭文；我们的复制品将允许个人触摸并与物品互动，激发对物品及其背后的社会历史的反应。

The core research component of our AHRC grant, 'Facilitating Access to Latin inscriptions in Britain's Oldest Public Museum through Scholarship & Technology', is a new edition of the museum's collection of 470 Latin inscriptions. Our work in storerooms & archives has uncovered unpublished inscriptions, has rediscovered inscriptions in the collection which were believed to be lost, & has resulted in new readings & interpretations of published inscriptions, through the use of modern digital technology. Both monumental & non-monumental inscriptions have the potential to offer insights into individuals' lives; it is this possibility for telling stories about the past that has proved effective in showing visitors to the museum how Latin inscriptions can change their views of Roman society.We've collaborated with staff in the Ashmolean's Antiquities, Design, Conservation, & Education Depts to develop new displays in the museum, to design innovative events engaging the public in our research, to deliver a joined-up programme of public engagement using social media & digital resources along with public lectures & gallery tours, & a multifaceted engagement with schools that has offered resources & activities for primary & secondary schools, has delivered training for secondary teachers & museum volunteers, & has worked with the Cambridge Schools Classics Project to produce mini-films for use in classrooms for teaching GCSE Classical Civilisation. We have systematically evaluated the effectiveness of the different forms of public engagement, & continue to explore innovative pathways for impact, using feedback from participants to inform future plans.Firstly, we shall organise 2 workshops for museum curators in the UK & Europe, to exchange knowledge about successful strategies for facilitating access to Latin inscriptions among the public. Secondly, we shall collaborate with Warwick Sutton Scholars to offer to school students from widening participation backgrounds an opportunity to learn new skills in order to be able to engage in their own research, & to learn about Roman culture & the Latin language, introducing to the Roman world pupils who do not have the opportunity to study classical subjects as part of their usual curriculum. Thirdly, we will adapt the educational resources which we have created for UK schools for use in North America and Australasia. With our guidance, more teachers will have access to primary source material that can be used for teaching classical civilisation & Latin language. Finally, we shall create a varied collection of replicas of everyday objects which bear Latin inscriptions of different kinds: these will be used by the Education Dept. for school visits & for touch-tours for visually impaired visitors. Somewhat speculatively, we would also like to explore the potential for such objects to stimulate groups of adults who suffer from strokes & dementia by taking artefacts out into the community & leading interactive activities about writing technologies.Our research has highlighted the potential of unpublished & little-known inscriptions in the museum as sources for Roman social history. Several benefits will result from our proposed activities for different constituencies: professional curators in heritage management will be able to exchange ideas about best practice in facilitating public access to Latin inscriptions; our project will introduce school students in the UK from widening participation profiles who do not otherwise study classical subjects to the excitement of working with original artefacts, & will encourage them to develop skills in carrying out & presenting their research; educational resources created for the UK will be adapted for international use, & teachers will be supported in using Latin inscriptions in their teaching; our replicas will allow individuals to touch & interact with the objects, stimulating responses towards the objects & the social history behind them.