LIMC-France > Databases

Presentation of the databases

LIMCicon

The LIMCicon database contains the iconographical documents kept both in France and elsewhere that have been catalogued and analysed by the French LIMC team.

It is regularly updated and enhanced with new documents.

LIMCicon is not an electronic version of the Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae, it is an independent and complementary source of information. An ancient document can therefore be dealt with either in the database, or in the book, or in both.

LIMCbiblio

LIMCbiblio is bibliographical database recently created to complement the information published in the LIMC volumes.

LIMCabrev

Use LIMCabrev to find the list of articles published in the LIMC and the full titles corresponding to the bibliographical abbreviations used in the LIMC, in the ThesCRA and on this site.

LIMCicon : detailed presentation of the fields

The fields marked with * are available in the detailed search.

OBJET

Creation date

Date the OBJECT file-card was created (manually or digitally).

Update *

Date of the last OBJECT file-card update.

ID-LIMCicon *

Unique identification code of the OBJECT file-card.

Location *

Current and previous locations of the illustrated item.
This shows the country, the region or county (if applicable), the town and the exact location or collection (museum, private collection, etc.).
Coins can be found under the “Coin collection” entry.
The location names appear in their country’s language within entries in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Otherwise they appear in French.

Inventory *

Inventory or catalogue number of the illustrated item.
When the same item has several inventories, these are grouped within the same field and separated by "=" (Ex: “1895.11.2-3 = B.220”).
When the catalogued fragments of an item are dealt with in a single OBJECT file-card, their numbers are separated by "+" (Ex: "120-122" appears as "120 + 121 + 122").

Place of discovery *

The place where the illustrated item was found.
This shows the site, the current country, the region (if applicable), the Ancient site or modern town and the exact location (building, room, etc.).
The site names appear in their country’s language within entries in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Otherwise they appear in French.
The ancient version of the name may also be given.

Search request : the database recognises the different names and spellings of a site. If the name does not appear in the list of terms, please try typing it in.
Ex : the Algerian town Annaba, the ancient Hippo Regius, is also known as Hippone and Bône. If you enter Hippone (which is not in the list), the site will be found.

Object *

Nature of the iconographical support.
Ex : statue.

Material *

Material(s) of the iconographical support.
Ex : marble.

Area/technique *

Category of the iconographical support (ex: mosaic, glyptic, etc.) and representation technique (ex: engraving, sculpture in the round, etc.).

Origin *

Cultural or geographical area where the illustrated item was created.
This area (country, region, town or culture) is as defined in ancient times (if not known, the modern name is given).

Object description

Information and further details on the item.

Dimensions

The dimensions of the item.

D = diameter
H = height
L = length
l / W = width
P / EP / D = depth / thickness

Inscriptions

Inscriptions on the document or image.
A Unicode font (Unicode standard™) is used for non Latin characters.

Artist *

Name of the artist, workshops or signatories to whom the document is attributed.

Date *

The date the item was created.
One or several dates may be given.
The author of the dating may be indicated in brackets.

Query : there are two fields for entering a range of dates.
A century is taken as going from 1 to 100.

LIMC reference / LIMC article / Catalogue number *

Title of the article about the item and catalogue number (published in the LIMC) of the item. If there is an illustration, the number is followed by * (photo in the volume of plates) or ° (drawing within the text).
Arabic, Greek, Russian: an equivalent is given in the original alphabet. The request can be made in either alphabet.

Ancient source *

Ancient source relating to the illustrated item.
The full titles of the source given in abridged form can be found through LIMCabrev.

Digital Document *

Digital document, available on the Web, relating to the illustrated item.

Bibliography *

Bibliography relating to the illustrated item.
The full titles of the publications given in abridged form can be found through LIMCabrev.

Special notes (object)

Various notes about the item

ICONOGRAPHY

ID-iconography

Unique identification code of each ICONOGRAPHY file-card.

Description *

The description appears in the contributor’s chosen language.
If necessary, the position of the iconographical scene on the object is indicated first.
The layout and characters are generally described from left to right and top to bottom. The characters’ names are in capitals and in the same language as the text.
Clothing is detailed in brackets after the name.

Names *

Mythological characters (deities, heroes, hybrid creatures, etc.), peoples (Amazons, Scythians, etc.) and historical characters (Kleopatra, Tiberius ).
The names are available in a modern version and in the LIMC‘s one (titles of the LIMC articles).
The names of characters who were given different names by the Greeks, the Romans and the Etruscans are grouped within a single entry, with the Greek version first and the Etruscan version last.
Ex : Herakles / Hercules / Hercle.
Other names and spellings of the same character are taken into account. If the required name is not in the list, you can type it in the open search field. Ex : Heracles typed in) will return the file-cards about Herakles / Hercules / Hercle.
Arabic, Greek, Russian: an equivalent is given in the original alphabet. The request can be made in either alphabet.

Key words *

The key words relating to the item (mostly illustrated characters, animals, objects and themes).
Please use the modern rather than the ancient language version and, if applicable, Greek rather than Latin.

Special notes (iconography)

Various notes about the iconography.

EVIDENCE

ID-evidence

Unique identification code of each EVIDENCE file-card.

Source *

Original references of the evidence.
Any publication is also mentioned in the bibliography of the OBJECT file-card.

Date of the evidence *

The date referred to in the evidence (ex: date of a journey) or, if unavailable, the year the evidence was published.

Evidence *

Presentation of the evidence.

Text *

Quotation of a written source

Translation *

Translation of a written source

Special notes (evidence)

Various notes about the evidence.

LINKED OBJECT (other fragment)

Linked OBJECT
(other fragment)

OBJECT file-card associated with another fragment (or part) of the item concerned.
This can be other fragments of the same object or elements of the architectural decor of the same building, bearing other catalogue numbers or kept in different locations.

Various notes about the evidence.