Introducing Objectification:

James Cummings
Newcastle University

james.cummings@newcastle.ac.uk
@jamescummings

when is an <object> a <place>?

<objectName> contains a proper noun or noun phrase used to refer to an object
<object> contains a description of a single identifiable physical object (real or fictional)
<listObject> contains a list of descriptions, each of which provides information about an identifiable physical object
<objectIdentifier> groups one or more identifiers or pieces of locating information concerning a single object

<object> provides a method of providing a detailed description of any identifiable physical object (real or imagined)
It is a more generalised form of <msDesc> and <object> includes:
- <objectIdentifier> provides an identification
- <msContents> (still to be replaced) documents intellectual contents of the object
- <physDesc> records physical description
- <history> documents the <origin>, <provenance> and <acquisition> of the <object>
- <additional> provides additional <adminInfo> etc.

TEI P5 3.4.0 <history> element:

TEI P5 3.5.0 <history> element:

La Biblioteca Central de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Objects are made of objects, so <object> can self-nest
Objects can be of any size imaginable.
An <object> describes a single, physical, identifiable object. (There is no requirement that it is a human-made object, it may be naturally occurring, it may be real or fictitious.)
So what is the boundary between an <object> and a <place>?

Where a description of an object is being provided in terms of physical identification, physical characteristics, or history, then an <object> element may be preferred.
Where metadata is being recorded about the geo-political location, population, or similar traits, then the <place> element may be better suited.

<msContents> and <msItem> still need to be replaced to be non-manuscript specific
Should this just become <objectContents> and <objectItem>?
Or some general-purpose <contents>?
<msItem> is a single item of intellectual content
(e.g. one mosaic on UNAM central library)... How should this be modelled for non-bibliographic items?
Open issue: https://github.com/TEIC/TEI/issues/1851

James Cummings
Newcastle University

james.cummings@newcastle.ac.uk
@jamescummings