The CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model

Dr Matthew StiffInformation Standards and Partnerships Manager,

National Monument Record (English Heritage)

1 December 2004

With acknowledgement for content from Nick Crofts, Martin Doerr, Tony Gill and Stephen Stead

Outline

What is a model?

What is the CIDOC CRM?

CRM Structures

Examples: Activities, Time, Periods, Places, Stuff, Appellations,

Taxonomic Discourse

Visual Contents and Subject

Mapping to the CRM

Use of the CRM in English Heritage

Summary of Benefits

What is a model?

A model is a representation of some aspect of reality.

The purpose of creating a model is to help understand, describe, or predict

how things work in the real world by exploring a simplified representation of a particular entity or phenomenon

Models and Schema

A model illustrating the cantilever principle.

Models and Schema

An engineering drawing of the Forth Railway Bridge – effectively a schema using the cantilever model

Models and Schema

The Forth Railway Bridge – effectively an implementation of the Forth Railway Bridge design or schema

Models and Schema

Another implementation of the cantilever model….

Models and Schema

And another-

• Tower 42 (formerly the Nat West Tower) is reckoned to be the tallest cantilever building in the world.

• The point being that there is more than one way to implement a model, and they can be quite different….

What is the CIDOC CRM?

The CRM

is not a metadata standardit should become our language for semantic interoperability,

it is a Conceptual Reference Model for analyzing and designing cultural information systems

is limited to the underlying semantics of database schemata and document structures used in cultural heritage and museum documentation

does not define the terminology used to document these data structures

does not say what cultural institutions should document

aims to explain the logic of what they actually do document

What is the CRM

The CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model

is a collaboration with the International Council of Museums

is an ontology of 81 classes and 130 properties for culture (and a great deal more)

has the capacity to explain dozens of (meta)data formats

has been accepted by ISO TC46 in Sept. 2000, now

ISO/AWI 21127 Committee Draft

Serves as:

an intellectual guide to create schemata, formats, profiles

a language for analysis of existing sources for integration

“Identify elements with common meaning”

a transportation format for data integration / migration / Internet

Top-level Entities relevant for Integration

participate in

E39 Actors

E55 Types

E28 Conceptual Objects

E18 Physical Stuff

E2 Temporal Entities

E41

Ap

pel

lati

on

s

affect or / refer to

refer to / refine

refe

r to

/ id

ent if

y

location

atwithinE53 PlacesE52 Time-Spans

Identification of real world items by real world names.

Classification of real world items.

Part-decomposition and structural properties of Conceptual & Physical Objects, Periods, Actors, Places and Times.

Participation of persistent items in temporal entities.

creates a notion of history: “world-lines” meeting in space-time.

Location of periods in space-time and physical objects in space.

Influence of objects on activities and products and vice-versa.

Reference of information objects to any real-world item.

A Classification of its Relationships

CRM Structures

Classes: The class hierarchy contain the conceptual building-blocks of the CRM. There is an isa relationship between sub-classes and super-classes:

Activity isa Event.

Properties: These provide the specific relationships between the classes. It acts like a verb, demanding both domain and range, and is bi-directional:

Physical Man-Made Stuff depicts CRM EntityCRM Entity is depicted by Physical Man-Made Stuff

Inheritence: Subclasses inherit the properties from their super-classes. Multiple inheritance means that a sub-class may have more than one super-class (in which case, it inherits the properties of all its parents.

Example: The Temporal Entity Hierarchy

E2 Temporal EntityScope Note:

This class comprises all phenomena, such as the instances of E4 Periods, E5 Events and states, which happen over a limited extent in time……..

is limited in time, is the only link to time, but not time itself

spreads out over a place or object (physical or not).the core of a model of physical history, open for

unlimited specialisation.

Example: The Temporal Entity Hierarchy

E4 Period binds together related phenomena introduces inclusion topologies - parts etc. Is confined in space and time the basic unit for temporal-spatial reasoning

E5 Event looks at the input and the outcome the basic unit for causal reasoning each event is a period if we study the process

E7 Activity brings the people in adds purpose

Example: The Temporal Entity Subclasses

Temporal Entity- Main PropertiesE2 Temporal Entity

Properties: P4 has time-span (is time-span of): E52 Time-Span

E4 Period Properties:

P7 took place at (witnessed): E53 PlaceP9 consists of (forms part of): E4 PeriodP10 falls within (contains): E4 Period

E5 Event Properties:

P11 had participant (participated in): E39 ActorP12 occurred in the presence of (was present at): E77 Persistent Ite

E7 Activity Properties:

P14 carried out by (performed): E39 ActorP20 had specific purpose (was purpose of): E7 ActivityP21 had general purpose (was purpose of): E55 Type

P3 has note

Activities

E1 CRM Entity

CIDOC Notion

E59 Primitive Value

E55 Type

E7 Activity

E5 Event0,1

0,n

0,n P2 has type(is type of)

0,nE62 String

1,n 0,n E39 Actor P14 carried out by (performed)

P14.1 in the role of

1,n

0,n

1,1

0,n

1,1

0,n

P39 was measured by (measured)

P40 observed dimension (was observed by)

Activities: Measurement Event

E54 Dimension

E16 Measurement Event

E18 Physical Stuff

E13 Attribute Assignment

P43 has dimension (is dimension of) P90 has value

P91 unit

Activities: Measurement Event

205ft

(62.4m)

1,n

0,n

1,n

0,n

1,n

1,1

0,n

0,n E7 Activity

E14 Condition Assessment

E18 Physical Stuff E3 Condition State P44 has condition

(condition of)

P34 was assessed by (concerns)

P35 has identified (identified by)

E39 Actor P14 carried out by (performed)

P14.1 in the role of

E2 Temporal Entity

Activities: Condition Assessment

0,n

0,n

0,n

0,n

0,n

0,n

0,n

0,n

0,n

0,n

E7 Activity

E8 Acquisition Event

E39 Actor E18 Physical Stuff P52 is current owner of (has current owner)

P51 is former or current owner of (has former or current owner)

P22 acquired title of (transferred title to)

P24 transferred title of (changed ownership by)

P23 surrendered title of (transferred title from)

Activities: Acquisition Event

1,n

1,n

0,n

1,n

0,n

0,n 0,n

1,n

0,n

0,n

0,n

0,n 0,n

0,n

0,n

1,n 0,n

E7 Activity

E9 Move

E19 Physical Object E53 Place

P25 moved by (moved)

P26 moved to (was destination of)

P55 has current location (currently holds)

P27 moved from (was origin of)

E55 Type P21 had general purpose

(was purpose of)

P20 had specific purpose (was purpose of)

P54 has current permanent location (is current permanent location of)

P53 has former or current location (is former or current location of)

Activities: Move

0,n

1,n

0,n

0,n0,n

0,n

0,n

0,n

0,n

1,n 0,n

1,n

E7 Activity

E11 Modification Event

E18 Physical Stuff

P31 has modified (was modified by)

E39 Actor P14 carried out by (performed) in the role of

E55 TypeP32 used general technique

(was technique of)

E24 Physical Man-Made Stuff

E29 Design or Procedure

P33 used specific technique (was used by)

E57 Material

P45 consists of (is incorporated in)

P68 usually employs (is usually employed by)

Activities: Modification/Production Event

P126 employed (was employed by)

Entity: Modification Event

Properties:

P1 is identified by (identifies): E41 AppellationP2 has type (is type of): E55 TypeP11 had participant (participated in): E39 Actor P14 carried out by (performed): E39 Actor

(P14.1 in the role of : E55 Type) P31 has modified (was modified by): E24 Physical Man-Made Stuff P12 occurred in the presence of (was present at): E77 Persistent ItemP16 used specific object (was used for): E70 Stuff (P16.1 mode of use: E62 String)P32 used general technique (was technique of): E55 TypeP33 used specific technique (was used by): E29 Design or Procedure

P17 was motivated by (motivated): E1 CRM EntityP19 was intended use of (was made for): E71 Man-Made Stuff (P19.1 mode of use: E62 String)P20 had specific purpose (was purpose of): E7 ActivityP21 had general purpose (was purpose of): E55 Type

P126 employed (was employed by): E57 Material

declared properties

inherited properties

inherited properties

declared properties

inherited properties

declared properties

time

before

P82 at some time within

P81 ongoing throughout

after

“in

ten

sity

”

Time Uncertainty, Certainty and Duration

Duration (P83,P84)

Allen Operators – an example

P120: E2 Temporal Entity. occurs before (occurs after): E2 Temporal Entity

E2 Temporal entity (A) is known to precede E2 Temporal Entity (B), and it is known that a gap in time exists between these two temporal entities. Where it is known that E2 Temporal entity (A) finishes at the same point in time as the beginning of E2 Temporal Entity (B), the Allen operator “Meets” should be used. No contextual link between the temporal entities is implied.

E2 Temporal Entity (A) E2 Temporal Entity (B)

Time

E4 Period – an examplePlace

Time

B

A

P10: E4 Period falls within (contains) E4 Period

The spatio-temporal extent of E4 Period (A) is entirely contained within the spatio-temporal extent of E4 Period (B). No contextual link between such instances of E4 Period is implied.

B

A

E3 Condition State

E4 Period

E5 Event

E50 Date

E49 Time Appellation

E41 Appellation

E2 Temporal Entity

E52 Time Span

E1 CRM Entity

E53 Place P4 has time-span

(is time-span of)

P86 falls within(contains)

P10 falls within(contains)

P9 consists of(forms part of)

P78 is identified by(identifies)

E 52 Time-Span

E77 Persistent Item

E61 Time Primitive

P81 ongoingthroughout

P82 at sometime within

P7 took place at(witnessed)

E53 Place – an example

B

A

P121: E53 Place overlaps with E53 Place

Part of the area constituting E53 Place (A) overlaps with part of the area constituting E53 Place (B). The relationship is symmetric. No contextual relationship between such instances of E53 Place is implied.

E70 Stuff (Thing)

E18 Physical Stuff

E28 Conceptual Object

Changing Stuff

E18 Physical Stuff

E11 Modification Event

P111 added (was added by) E79 Part Addition

E80 Part Removal

P110 added to

(was augmented by)

E24 Ph. M.-Made Stuff

P113 removed (was added by)

P111removed from (was diminished by)

E77 Persistent Item E81 Transformation

E64 End of ExistenceE63 Beginning of Existence

P124 transformed (was transformed by)

P123 resulted in(was result of)

P92 brought into existence(was brought into existence by)

P93 took out of existence(was taken o.o.e. by)

P31 has modified(was modified by)

Appellation

Taxonomic discourse

E28 Conceptual Object

E7 Activity

E17 Type Assignment E55 Type

P136 was based on

(supported type creation)

P42 assigned (was assigned by)

E1 CRM Entity

E83 Type Creation

E65 Creation Event

P137 is exemplifiedby (exemplifies)

P41 classifie

d

(was classifie

d by)

P94 has created (was created by)

P135 created type (was created by)

P136.1 in the taxonomic role P137.1 in the

taxonomic role

Visual Contents and Subject

E24 Physical Man-Made Stuff

E55 Type

E1 CRM Entity

P62 depicts

(is depicted by)

P62.1 mode of depiction

P65 shows visual item (is shown by)

E36 Visual Item

P138 visualizes (has visualization)

E73 Information Object

E38 Visual Image

P67 refers to (is referred to by)

E23 Information Carrier

P128 is carried of (is materialized by)

P138.1 mode of depiction

Mapping Dublin Core to the CIDOC CRM

Type: text

Title: Mapping of the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set to the CIDOC CRM

Creator: Martin Doerr

Publisher: ICS-FORTH

Identifier: FORTH-ICS / TR 274 July 2000

Language: English

Example: Partial DC Record about a Technical Report

was created byis

identified by

E41 Appellation

Name: Mapping of the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set to the CIDOC CRM…..

E33 Linguistic Object

Object: FORTH-ICS / TR-274 July 2000

E82 Actor Appellation

Name: Martin Doerr

E65 Creation Event

Event: 0001

carriedout by

is identified by

E82 Actor Appellation

Name: ICS-FORTH

E7 Activity

Event: 0002

carried out by

E55 Type

Type: Publicationhas type

was used for

E75 Conceptual Object Appellation

Name: FORTH-ICS / TR-274 July 2000

E55 Type

Type:FORTH Identifier

has type

is identified by

E56 Language

Lang.: English

has language

Mapping Dublin Core to the CIDOC CRM (RDF style)

E39 Actor

Actor:0001

E39 Actor

Actor:0002

is identified by

(background knowledge not in the DC record)

Use of the CRM within English Heritage

Ontological modelling – The Revelation Project (Centre for Archaeology)

Data mapping – Heritage Protection Review

XML schema design – FISH Toolkit & MIDAS XML

Database schema design – English Heritage “Common Data Layer”

Data integration – Heritage Gateway

Partnership work – SPECTRUM 3

Elegant and simple compared to comparable Entity-Relationship models

Coherently integrates information at varying degrees of detail

Readily extensible through O-O class typing and specializations

Richer semantic content; allows inferences to be made from underspecified data elements

Designed for mediation of cultural heritage information

Summary of Benefits of the CRM

Contact Details:

Dr Matthew StiffInformation Standards and Partnerships ManagerNational Monuments RecordKemble DriveSwindonSN2 2GZ

(t) +44 (0)7939 151510(m) +44 (0)7939 151510(e) matthew.stiff@english-heritage.org.uk(w) http://www.english-heritage.org.uk

CIDOC CRM Special Interest Group(w) http://cidoc.ics.forth.gr