International congress of byzantine studies belgrade, 22 27 august 2016

Dmitry Zubov
Institute of Russian Athos, Moscow, Russian Federation; 
[e-mail] 
Methods of Reconstructing of the Monastery Charters Collection 
(St Panteleimon Monastery on Mt Athos)
At present, the history of states, regions, agglomerations, corporations (monasteries), and other 
public entities is presented in flatness. It is not sufficient to discuss all subjects and objects of influence.
So at this time the chronological order dominates – that is, there has been a consistent 
methodology of presentation, which deprives the historical model of the volume.
In this paper we propose an avant-garde methodology for reconstruction of the historical 
events of the global system that allows one to make three-dimensional model of any historical 
social system, characterized by use of well-known methodologies (bibliography, the integration of 
known studies, deciphering old information and artifacts, identification and analysis of available 
acts clusters, combining of existing blocks of information for a certain time period with a system of 
record keeping in the same period, the mapping of genealogical charts, updated economic analysis 
of the documents, classification, etc.) and the newly developed volumetric method described below.
Volumetric method involves placing a clear set of existing assembly of acts that reflects the 
actual content of the entire historical process, in a coordinate system: a timeline, subjects of influence 
on the historical process and objects of influence on the historical process.
The proposed methodology does not leave gaps of the historical process, remaining outside of 
the study, and uses all the rich experience of historical science.

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Rona Razon 
Collège de France, Paris, France; 
[e-mail]
Bridging Dispersed Archival Collections: Fonds de Thomas Whittemore
This paper will introduce a new collaborative project in the Bibliothèque byzantine of Collège 
de France. The project will aim to enhance the access and use of distributed historical collections (or 
materials that are related but physically separated within one or multiple repositories), specifically 
the dispersed archival collections associated with Thomas Whittemore (1870-1950). These materials 
primarily document Whittemore’s personal and professional life, as the founder and director of 
The Byzantine Institute, Inc., including his vast social network between the 1910s and 1950. The 
main goal is to virtually reunite the dispersed materials that relate to the leading protagonist, 
which are held in archives, primarily in France and the United States. Whittemore’s material is an 
excellent model on how associated but physical separated collections, described in varying levels 
within multiple repositories, can be linked together through standardized descriptions and name 
taxonomy in order to build improved access and scholarship of primary sources. 
Thomas Whittemore is an important figure to explore, for he has brought the world of 
Byzantine art and archaeology, as well as art restoration and preservation, to a contemporary 
American audience, particularly during political upheaval or times of war in the 1910s and 1940s. 
Furthermore, with the Paris Library of the Byzantine Institute, Whittemore has established an 
international scientific center of Byzantine studies in the heart of Paris, creating a cultural relationship 
and research space between American and French scholars of Byzantium and the Middle Ages. A 
close analysis and study of Whittemore’s archival holdings in Europe and North America will not 
only create a complete picture of Whittemore’s role and contributions in the humanities, but it will 
also bridge the gap between the related but physically separated collections, creating a unified and 
improved access and use of distributed historical materials for all types of users.
The primary objectives for this project are: 1) to reexamine the Fonds de Thomas Whittemore 
in the Bibliothèque byzantine and to compare them with other related archival materials in France 
and the United States; 2) to provide standardized descriptions for the collection materials in the 
Bibliothèque byzantine; 3) to investigate the influential and understudied players in Whittemore’s 
circle, as well as to update, enhance, and add to the existing name index terms in the Bibliothèque 
byzantine; 4) and to make the enhanced data available for reuse to associated repositories. The main 
goal is to build a comprehensive virtual network for the primary sources in France and the United 
States, so researchers will be able to trace and understand Whittemore’s development and significant 
contributions to the scholarship of Byzantine art and archaeology from the 1910s to 1950.

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