Problems and perspectives of “lost epigraphy” primary source editions

Summary

In 2018 it will be 45 years since prof. Józef Szymański has written the article about the inauguration of epigraphic researches in Poland. It seems to be about time to make another summary, or more specifically to point out, that the progress of epigraphic researches in Poland at the beginning of XXI century, presents new perspectives. Since, the developement of publishing techniques offers new possibilities and allow researchers to solve former problems, simultaneously setting new challanges for scholars. Author of this article, on the basis of his own edition of inventory containing inscriptions from St. Elisabeth church, dated back to 1649, presents the practical value of archival materials for present renovation of yet preserved artifacts and its meaning for research purposes. According to the author, the very beginning of the researches should commence with the careful survey of archival materials, e.g. Wrocław owns the collection of inscriptions gathered on a request of Graf Hoverden (according to an extant and published indexes, there were gathered transcripts and drawings of over 6 thousends epitahps). The problem of editing such materials still remains a seperate issue. Leaving them in an original form, creates the unintelligibillity of inscriptions and difficulty of receipt for a common reader, who does not have to be the historian prepared to work with such a source. The interference in the text arouses the internal protest of primary source editors. Probably the indirect solution might be sharing the electronic version of original, accompanied by the worked -out version with full research elaboration and indexes or references to the original itself. It will not be an easy way to elaborate the universal scheme or pattern, because the primary sources of that kind differ fromeach other, and yet the  expectations of receivers from various study fields may diverge. 

Problems and perspectives of “lost epigraphy” primary source editions

Summary

In 2018 it will be 45 years since prof. Józef Szymański has written the article about the inauguration of epigraphic researches in Poland. It seems to be about time to make another summary, or more specifically to point out, that the progress of epigraphic researches in Poland at the beginning of XXI century, presents new perspectives. Since, the developement of publishing techniques offers new possibilities and allow researchers to solve former problems, simultaneously setting new challanges for scholars. Author of this article, on the basis of his own edition of inventory containing inscriptions from St. Elisabeth church, dated back to 1649, presents the practical value of archival materials for present renovation of yet preserved artifacts and its meaning for research purposes. According to the author, the very beginning of the researches should commence with the careful survey of archival materials, e.g. Wrocław owns the collection of inscriptions gathered on a request of Graf Hoverden (according to an extant and published indexes, there were gathered transcripts and drawings of over 6 thousends epitahps). The problem of editing such materials still remains a seperate issue. Leaving them in an original form, creates the unintelligibillity of inscriptions and difficulty of receipt for a common reader, who does not have to be the historian prepared to work with such a source. The interference in the text arouses the internal protest of primary source editors. Probably the indirect solution might be sharing the electronic version of original, accompanied by the worked -out version with full research elaboration and indexes or references to the original itself. It will not be an easy way to elaborate the universal scheme or pattern, because the primary sources of that kind differ fromeach other, and yet the  expectations of receivers from various study fields may diverge.