从考古发掘到数字人文:百年西亚印学研究的历史、现状与启示

From archaeological excavation to digital humanities:the history,current situation,and enlightenment of West Asia sigillography research in a century

古代西亚的印章分为平印和滚印,平印产生较早,滚印是两河流域特有的印章形式,贯穿于两河文明发展始终,直到公元1世纪被平印所取代。自19世纪近东考古兴起,西亚印学研究已经历了百余年历史,从最初的印章图录出版,到对印章类型、材质、图像和铭文的专题研究,学者们逐渐探索出西亚印章学研究的独特范式。21世纪以来,随着数字人文的发展,西亚印学研究迎来了新的变革,数据库建设、文字与图像的数字分析、三维虚拟仿真技术以及跨学科研究方式的运用,极大地更新了印学研究的思路与视野,尤其是我国学者“大印学”概念的提出,在国际人文社会学界发出“中国印学声音”,为世界印学的发展做出了原创性贡献。

In ancient West Asia,seals were of two main types:the cylinder and the stamp.Stamp seals preceded cylinders.The cylinder was unique to Mesopotamia and was used throughout the development of the Mesopotamian civilization until it was replaced by stamp seals in the 1st century AD.Since the rise of Near East archeology in the 19th century,West Asian seals have been studied for more than 100 years.From the initial publication of seal catalogs to special study on seal classification,materials,iconography,and epigraphy,scholars have gradually explored the research on West Asian seals since the 21st century;with the development of digital humanities,the study of West Asian Sigillography has ushered in a new revolution.The construction of databases,digital analysis of text and image,3D virtual simulation technology,and the use of interdisciplinary approaches have greatly updated the thought and vision on the study of seals.In particular,Chinese scholars put forward the concept of“the Great Sigillography”,which enabled the voice of Chinese sigillography to be heard by the international humanities and social circles,making an original contribution to the development of world sigillography.