Wikidata as infrastructure for an analysis of Latin architectural terminology¶

Neven Jovanović
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Aspettando AIUCD2024 seminar, April 9, 2024

Address of this page: http://croala.ffzg.unizg.hr/eklogai/aiucd-latin-2024/

This seminar uses material of a project that has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (GA n. 865863 ERC-AdriArchCult)

The research question¶

How do Renaissance authors writing in Latin use words connected with architecture?

What is CroALa (Croatiae auctores Latini)?¶

http://croala.ffzg.unizg.hr

Latin texts connected with Croatia, written 976–1984.
First published in 2009.
The latest release: 559 documents, 5.8 million words.

Search for a word (such as computum) in CroALa, either in PhiloLogic or in BaseX
In CroALa Github repository, look at any XQuery script

Wikidata as a fine-grained lexicographical framework¶

Wikidata (launched in 2012) is a digital encyclopaedic collection of information about (potentially) everything that exists, had existed, or has been thought. In Wikidata the information is structured; its data has been organized and is stored in a standard and unambiguous way – contrary to a printed encyclopaedia, or to a free-text digital resource such as Wikipedia. Wikidata collects known facts about things and beings, ideas and events, and also about words (lexicographical data).

Why the difference? What is different in structure of these pages? Why have lexicographical data in Wikidata?

Wikidata: Lexicographical data

Search for architectural terms in CroALa¶

Initially approached from a modern word list: Michael Binns, Latin, Italian and English Glossary, PompeiiinPictures, 2007―2015 ("started life many years ago as various reference lists for my students of Latin and of Roman archaeology, architecture, and life").

Latin architectural terms absent from CroALa¶

Absent: bisellium, caryatis, columbarium, furnax, metopa, natatio, peripteron, stylobates, tablinum, thermopolium, triglyphus

Not used in architectural sense: ambulatio, cenatio (verbal nouns); euripus, fauces (geographical terms)

Occurring only after 1600: apodyterium (Čobarnić 1835); hypocaustum (Škrlec 1790); pergula (Krčelić 1750); pinacotheca (Crijević 1740); propylaea (several authors after 1690); sphaeristerium (Čobarnić 1835); tepidarium (Čobarnić 1835); telamon (Barić 1792)

Some passages rich in architectural terms¶

Filippo Diversi describes Dubrovnik (Situs aedificiorum, politiae et laudabilium consuetudinum inclitae civitatis Ragusii, 1440)
Koriolan Cipiko describes cities and ancient ruins in the Aegean and Ionian Sea (Petri Mocenici imperatoris gestorum libri tres 1477)
Marko Marulić describes Diocletian's palace in Split (in prose, In epigrammata priscorum commentarius, 1503–1510) and the royal palace of the Biblical king David (in verse, Dauidias Book 8, 1510-1517)
Vinko Pribojević describes the city of Hvar on the eponymous island (Oratio de origine successibusque Slauorum, 1525 / 1532)
Bartul Đurđević (De afflictione, tam captivorum quam etiam sub Turcae tributo viventium Christianorum, 1545) and Antun Vrančić (Iter Buda Hadrianopolim, 1553) describe Ottoman architecture

Using Wikidata and XML to describe polysemy and cite precisely: turritus¶

Wikidata: L286952

CroALa (31 occurrence): Turritasque turrita turrito turritas turritaque Turritamque turritis turritam turritae turriti

Turritus 1: set or fortified with towers¶

L286952-S1

URL: adamus-hymni-domnii.xml/TEI[1]/text[1]/body[1]/div[3]/div[12]/lg[1]/l[2]

(1) Adam Parižanin (1059): Exaltent alii saxa minacia / Turrita, et Spalati moenia nobilis

Let the others praise the overhanging turrita stones and the noble walls of Split

URL: filelfo-g-m-ragusaeis-1470.xml/TEI[1]/text[1]/body[1]/div[1]/div[2]/l[74]

(2) Filelfo, Giovanni Mario (1470): Turritasque urbes: nec sunt sua iura nec arces

(how many heroes have founded the vast) and turritas cities; (but they have not made safe) their rights or their citadels

URL: sisgor-g-de-situ.xml/TEI[1]/text[1]/body[1]/div[1]/div[12]/p[5]

(3) Marulić, Marko (1510–1517): Turritas circum structuras urbis Abellę

(They besiege) the turritas buildings of the city of Abila

(4) Beneša, Damjan (1534–1539): Cinctaque turritis non desunt oppida muris

and there are many fortified towns girded with turritis walls

Turritus 2: tower-crowned, turreted¶

L286952-S2

URL: sisgor-g-de-situ.xml/TEI[1]/text[1]/body[1]/div[1]/div[12]/p[5]

(5) Šižgorić, Juraj (1487, on the island of Zlarin): Aurea insula deinde faucibus portus Sibenici adiacens, saxeis collibus turrita

Then there is the Golden Island, near to the mouth of the harbor of Šibenik, turrita with stony hills

URL: andreis-f-sylla.xml/TEI[1]/text[1]/body[1]/div[1]/sp[117]/p[1]

(6) Franjo Trankvil Andreis (1527): admirati turritas naues

admiring the turritas ships

(7) Bunić, Jakov (1526): Turritas quibus alta ferunt cita carbasa puppes

(the lands) towards which the high swift sails bring the turritas sterns

(8) Crijević Tuberon, Ludovik (after 1522): additis quinquaginta uarii generis turritis nauibus

having added the fifty turritis ships of different types

(9) Crijević Tuberon, Ludovik (after 1522): illas circiter duodecim turritas naueis, cum quatuor triremibus

these approximately twelve turritas ships, with four triremes

(10) Crijević Tuberon, Ludovik (after 1522): locatis ad fauces portus, in quo substiterat, omnibus onerariis ac turritis nauibus

having positioned at the mouth of the port, in which he remained, all cargo and turritis ships

(11) Skalić, Pavao (1569, a satire): Videres id, mora nisi accidisset, Paridem pulchre turritis illis insidentem aedibus.

You would have seen, it there was not a pause, how Paris nicely sat in that turritis house

Turritus 3: (figuratively) tower-shaped, towering, high, lofty¶

L286952-S3

URL: crijev-i-epidauro.xml/TEI[1]/text[1]/body[1]/div[1]/l[226]

(12) Crijević, Ilija (1506): Turritamque senem niuei uexere iugales

(the swans), snow-white, were pulling (a cart with) the old and turritam (deity Epidaurus)

URL: bunic-j-vgc.xml/TEI[1]/text[1]/body[1]/div[3]/div[3]/l[32]

(13) Bunić, Jakov (1526): Sedula responso? Marie turrita recumbit

(the biblical Mary, sister of Martha) turrita lies down

URL: bunic-j-vgc.xml/TEI[1]/text[1]/body[1]/div[10]/div[1]/l[7]

(14) Bunić, Jakov (1526): Tu quoque Syri decus uenias, turrita uirago

You too come, Mary (sister of Martha), the pride of Syria, turrita heroine

Architectural terms frequently used in CroALa: columna¶

Columna, Wikidata L265215

CroALa (333 occurrences): colunas columna columnam columnas columnis columnarum columnę columnae columnasque

Columna 1: structural element sustaining the weight of a building¶

Wikidata L265215-S2

(15) Toma Arhiđakon (ante 1268): uir quidam, Seuerus nomine, cuius domus fuerat iuxta colunas palatii supra mare.

a man by the name of Seuerus, whose house was near the colunas (columnas) of the palace, by the sea

(16) Pavlović, Pavao (1371–1408): procedendo usque logiam magnam Iadrae et usque ad secundam columnam ipsius logiae

moving on all the way to the large loggia of Zadar and all the way to the second columna of that loggia

(17) Ciriaco d'Ancona (1440; Ancona): Vidisti praeterea nostrae huiusce praeclare civitatis ornamenta alia quam plura, sed inter potiora antiqua atque nobilia undique ex cocto latere moenia, maritimum fronte litus, tresque ripales et aereas arces; portas deinde regias, turres innumeras et praecelsas, nec non sacra superis speciosa ornatissimaque delubra; alta quoque magistratum praetoria, civiumque palatia et conspicuas aedes; marmoreos itaque arcus et gestarum rerum trophea; scaenas, columnas, statuarumque fragmenta; bases et epigrammata; quin et harenarum ingentia vetustissimaque numidicae architecturae loca pereminentia urbis amphiteatra, magnum inditium splendoris primaevae tam praeclarae civitatis familiae et verendissimae antiquitatis.

Besides, you have seen the embellishments of our beautiful city; there are many of them, but particularly important are the ancient and noble walls, built from all sides of bricks, the sea-front, three heaven-high citadels on the shore; the royal gates, the countless and soaring towers, as well as the beautiful and adorned temples dedicated to divinities; there are also high residences of city magistrates, the palaces and distinguished houses of the citizens; also the marble arches and trophies of victories; the stages, columnas, and the remains of sculptures; the column-bases and the inscriptions; the grand and immensely ancient amphitheater with the arena, a place of Numidic (?) architecture towering above the city, the large sign of earlier magnificence of the city so glorious, of an age so venerable.

(18) Cipiko, Koriolan (1477; Delos): Imperator imposita in naues omni praeda ad Delon insulam uenit. Haec olim ob insigne Apollinis templum et sacrorum cerimonias conuentibus uniuersae Graeciae celebrata fuit, nunc deserta ac inhabitata est. Extant tamen templi et amphitheatri uestigia albi marmoris, columnarum quoque ac signorum maximus numerus, colossus etiam cubitorum quindecim, cum hac inscriptione: Νάξος Ἀπόλλωνι. Sunt et cisternae multae mirae magnitudinis, etiam nunc aquarum plenae.

The general ordered to put all the booty on ships and sailed to the island of Delos. The island was earlier famous for its large temple of Apollo, for its festivities in which all Greece took part; now it is deserted and uninhabited. There still can be seen remains of the temple and of the amphitheater, built of white marble, and a great number of columnarum and of sculptures; also a colossus of fifteen cubits with the inscription Νάξος Ἀπόλλωνι. There are also cisterns of amazing size, still full of water.

(19) Andreis, Franjo Trankvil (1527; Sulla speaks about suffering of tyrants): in agris aediculas et holerum in ocio tranquillissimo cibum longe praestare tessellatis pauimentis et incrustatis marmore parietibus aureisque tectis, quae sexcentis columnis innituntur

small huts in the fields and vegetable as food, taken in peaceful leisure, is far better than floors adorned with mosaic, than walls incrusted with marble, than roofs of gold held up by hundreds of columnis

Columna 2: object resembling a pillar¶

Wikidata L265215-S4

(20) Pavlović, Pavao (1371–1408): apparuerunt in Iadra signa mirabilia in coelo, videlicet apparuit quidam splendor magnus, quasi columna nubis, igne accensa

At Zadar, wonderful signs appeared in the sky: a certain great brightness, like a columna of cloud, kindled with fire

Columna 3: (figuratively) support¶

Wikidata L265215-S3

(21) Jan Panonije (1447–1472, "De morte Andreolae, Nicolai V. pontificis Romani et Philippi cardinalis Bononiensis matris"): Salve magna parens, sublimem enixa columnam

Hail, great mother, you who gave birth to a high columnam

(22) Marulić, Marko (1499): Basilius etiam episcopus uere columna ignis (ut cuidam uisum fuit) calore ęstuans charitatis

And bishop Basil, the true columna of fire (as somebody thought), burning with the heat of love

(23) Marulić, Marko (1499): Hunc Paulus et Cepham et Ioannem, ueluti reliquorum pręsides, columnas uocat

Paul calls James, Cephas and John columnas, because they are the leaders of the rest (of apostles)

(24) Marulić, Marko (1499; cf. 2 Chronicles 3–4, on the Temple of Jerusalem): Hęc est ergo columna Iachin et columna Booz, id est, firmitatis et fortitudinis, quę epistylia liliorum malogranatorumque sustentant.

So this is the columna Iachin and columna Booz, that is, of strength and of courage, which support the architrave of lilies and of pomegranates.

Unexpected architectural terms in CroALa: architectus "vault, apse"¶

Architectus, Wikidata L258823

CroALa (42): architectorum architecto architectis architecti architectos architecta architectum architectus

In Filippo Diversi's description of Dubrovnik (1440) architectus regularly means vault:

(26) Diversis de Quartigianis, Philippus (1440): universa est architectis pulcherrimis et altis ornata. Nam navis architecti magni et alti usque ad velamen ecclesiae videntur.

(the church) is embellished with beautiful and high architectis. The architecti of the nave are large and high as the covering of the church.

(27) Diversis de Quartigianis, Philippus (1440): Super hac capella structi sunt alii et superiores architecti usque fere ad operturam inferiorem templi.

Over that chapel the other, even higher architecti are built, almost to the lower covering of the church

(28) Diversis de Quartigianis, Philippus (1440): est cisterna et aqua fontis architectis delectabilibus fundatis super claustro inferiori in cuius medio crescunt olera in quodam ortulo, ubi sunt lauri et aranciorum arbores. (...) Conventus vero sancti Dominici orto carens neque ornatum aut amplum cubicularium habet, nec architectos, nec illi aequam sacristiam nec chorum illi comparandum, nec simile altare maius, quamvis pulchrum existat, nec tantam aquae abundantiam.

there is a cistern and a fountain, with delightful architectis raised from the lower part of claustrum, in the middle of which vegetables grow in a kind of small garden, where there are laurel and orange trees. (...) But the convent of St. Dominic lacks the garden, an ornated or large chamber, architectos, or a sacristy of equal beauty, or a comparable choir, or a similar greater altar, although there is a beautiful one, or such an abundance of water.

(29) Diversis de Quartigianis, Philippus (1440): Muri fiunt lapidibus vivis egregie laboratis, et sculptis ornatissimi, cum architectis magnis fundatis super columnis altis et grossis, quae ex Curcula per mare vectae fuerunt.

The walls are made of excellently worked living stone, and they are very ornately carved, with great architectis resting on high and thick columns, which were brought by sea from Korčula.

But for Ciriaco d'Ancona, in Dubrovnik in 1438, architectus means 'architect', in a public inscription honoring Onofrio de la Cava:

Ciriaco d'Ancona, Inscriptio Onofrii Ragusae

Posuerunt Onofrio, Iordani filio, Onosiphoro, Parthenopeo, egregio nostri temporis architecto, municipes

The citizens put up this for Onofrius, son of Jordanus, Onosiphorus, of Parthenope, the outstanding architect of our age

Renaissance parallels for architectus = vault, Rome 1466–1470¶

Cf. Müntz, Eugène. 1878. Les arts à la cour des papes pendant le XVe et le XVIe siècle; recueil de documents inédits tirés des archives et des bibliothèques romaines, Bibliothèque des écoles françaises d’Athènes et de Rome; Fasc. 4, 9, 28 (Paris: E. Thorin; archive.org ark:/13960/t2z36ps79)

1466-05-21: Magistro Materno Antonii de Vedano (?) muratori florenos auri d. c. 47 et bon. 9 pro ejus salario et mercede 29 passuum muri per eum suis sumptibus et expensis facti de voluntate nostra ac mandato smi d. nostri papae nobis facto ad rationem 18 carlenorum currentium pro quolibet passu in reparatione arcitecti Titi Vespesiani (sic) apud sanctam Mariam novam de Urbe.

1468: Pro manifactura cujusdam insignii seu armorum sanctissimi domini nostri papae positis [sic] in supercelio cujusdam architecti carcerum ejusdem turris florenos similes 2.

1469: pro portatura certae quantitatis terratii et pro explanando certum architectum antiquum.

1469-03-10: Magistro Petro de Albino scarpellino et ejus sociis scarpellinis flor. auri d. c. 67 et bon. 68 pro eorum salario 257 1/2 brachiorum sedilium per eos factorum circumcirca jardinum in superioribus architectis eiusdem jardini ad rationem 19 bon. pro quolibet brachio.

1470-01-26: in reparari faciendo architectum Butii Eptimii

Discuss the procedure¶

The procedure involved search in the XML database and careful reading and sifting through the results, selecting passages, noting them down and categorizing them.

Wikidata entries had to be edited to express different senses of a lexeme.

Striking findings had to be explored further, elsewhere (architectus = vault, apse).

At the moment, the results are presented on a web page; I have tried to make them reproducible: to enable other people to see what I have seen.