The University of Chicago’s Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC) has established a new Data Research Center aimed at integrating data science, artificial intelligence, and humanities research. The initiative is designed to enhance how scholars examine ancient civilizations from the Middle East and North Africa.
The center unifies ISAC’s research archives and databases into one hub dedicated to digital scholarship, open access, and computational research across different fields. According to Prof. Timothy P. Harrison, director of ISAC, “This is a transformative step for ISAC and for the study of ancient cultures. The Data Research Center gives our researchers, students and collaborators the tools to connect data across disciplines—from archaeology and linguistics to geoscience and computer science—redefining how we explore the human past.”
By merging traditional scholarship with modern digital technologies, ISAC aims to strengthen its role as a leader in the global study of ancient civilizations using digital methods. The Data Research Center allows researchers to access and analyze over a million records related to the ancient world. These resources support work in natural language processing, geospatial modeling, and cultural heritage preservation.
Foy Scalf, director of the Data Research Center, said: “Our goal is not only to protect and share ISAC’s extraordinary collections but to make them computationally meaningful to allow new insights to emerge through the integration of data, context and technology.”
The center supports several ongoing projects such as digitizing the Chicago Assyrian Dictionary project, managing databases like Aqaba Glass Database and Ancient Egyptian Demonology Project, as well as facilitating ISAC excavations in northern Iraq.
Collaboration is a key aspect of this initiative. The center works with various university entities including the University Library, UChicago IT Services, Research Computing Center, Forum for Digital Culture led by Prof. David Schloen; Center for Ancient Middle Eastern Landscapes directed by Asst. Prof. Mehrnoush Soroush; and Chicago Center for Cultural Heritage Preservation under Prof. Gil Stein.
Within ISAC itself, there are strong connections with the ISAC Museum led by Marc Maillot. This partnership enables projects that link museum collections with research archives through web-based applications.
Harrison added: “The Data Research Center strengthens ISAC’s role as a bridge between the humanities and the sciences... By bringing together experts in information science, computing, and ancient studies, we are reaffirming the University of Chicago’s leadership in uniting humanistic inquiry with technological innovation.”
As part of UChicago's AI Pillar initiative, this new center contributes toward broader efforts exploring artificial intelligence's potential impact on academic disciplines while emphasizing ethical practices in digital stewardship.
In addition to supporting computational research efforts across multiple domains within humanities studies at UChicago ,the center will also play an important role in preserving archival materials so they remain accessible into future generations.
For more details about these developments or related initiatives at ISAC visit their website.