Nº 2 (2025)
Articles
Monuments in Mongolian Writing: An Experience of Creating a Parallel Corpus
Resumo
This article highlights the results of the work on creating a parallel corpus of Buryat sources in Mongolian script. The project is being carried out with the support of the Russian Science Foundation, based on the archival materials from the Center for Eastern Manuscripts and Xylographs of the IMBT SB RAS. The subject of the research is the process of creating a database for the corpus, the specifics of compiling it, particularly the selection of materials. Currently, the developing corpus includes the following documents from the archival funds of the CVRK IMBT SB RAS: texts of historical content—"A Brief Outline of the History of Khori-Mongolian Buryats," "On the History of the Zugalai Region"; an official document "Protocol of the All-Buryat Assembly in Chita in 1917"; an ethnographic composition "Narrative of Samdan Noyon," a medical work "Notes of Tibetan Doctor Donduba Munkuyev"; a work of Buddhist didactic literature "Subhashita" translated by Galsan-Jimba Tuguldur. General scientific and source study methods were applied to the analysis of handwritten, printed, and xylographic texts in Mongolian script. The processes of material selection, their transliteration and translation, as well as substantive (thematic, lexical) and technical aspects (typos, pagination, numerals) were examined. The parallel Russian-language version is being created by the research group. The authors emphasize the significance of creating a parallel corpus as a resource for further research in the field of Buryat linguistics, translation studies, and cultural studies, as well as its role in promoting Old Mongolian script among the general public and preserving the intangible heritage of the Baikal region. The corpus represents a unique database for further research in various fields of science, etc. The texts considered will serve as a basis for the development of machine translation algorithms, and the work being conducted at this stage will help future developers create more effective algorithms. The creation of a specialized database that is open not only to researchers but also to representatives of the educational sector, professional translators, and anyone showing a scientific or cultural interest in written heritage appears promising.
Historical informatics. 2025;(2):1-10
1-10
Palestine in the US Press 1918: a computerized analysis of historical texts
Resumo
The subject of the article is the study of the American periodical press on Palestine in 1918 using databases and computer programs to analyze statistical indicators of texts. This makes it possible to solve several problems. The first task: to find out the process of changing interest in the Middle East geographically (in every American state). The second task is to analyze the evolution of interest in Palestine in American newspapers in a historical and chronological aspect. The third task is to study the statistical indicators of the texts of the 10 most relevant articles on Palestine in 1918. The object of research: American information discourse. The analysis of statistical indicators of the US periodical press on Palestine allows us to more accurately determine the content and place of the Middle East problem in the US information discourse. A quantitative calculation of mentions of Palestine in newspapers was made using the Chronicling America portal created by the Library of Congress. Online newspaper repositories of each state and individual newspapers were used to verify the information received. Statistical analysis of the text was carried out using the "Leximancer" program. The main contribution of the author is that as a result of the study it was found: the number of mentions of Palestine in 1918 shows that democratic newspapers in the United States were leaders in covering the Middle East topic; three concepts ("Palestine", "Britain", "Jews") were key in 1918 The Middle East conflict was not yet considered in America as a conflict between Arabs and Jews, but it was no longer considered as a confrontation between two empires: the British and the Ottoman. The periodization of the evolution of American interest in Palestine in 1918 was determined: 1) January – February; 2) June – August; 3) November – December. At each of the indicated stages, there is an increase in the number of mentions of the "Plate" and keywords in American newspaper publications.
Historical informatics. 2025;(2):11-22
11-22
Medical statistics of the Altai cities in the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries: creation of digital sources and data analysis
Resumo
The article examines the medical and sanitary condition of the cities of Altai in the Tomsk province in the second half of the 19th century to the early 20th century in the context of the history of statistics and regional history. Using document analysis, source studies, historical-comparative methods, and quantitative methods, the authors analyze published gubernatorial reports with appendices, reports from the Medical Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, address calendars, trade and industrial calendars, and almanacs over the time period from 1856 to 1915. For the first time, the authors have accumulated annual statistical data on medical, health, sanitary, and veterinary affairs within the poorly studied region of Asian Russia, due to the lack of zemstvo statistics. The identification and organization of disparate materials create the possibility for the publication of statistical tables, dynamic series, visualization, and representation of the results of their analysis. The statistical tables created through the analysis of textual documents contain data on the medical infrastructure of cities, personnel, their specialization and departmental affiliation, the number and turnover of pharmacies, expenses on medical services, the number of patients and their diagnoses, violent and accidental deaths, etc. The data in the tables are grouped and combined into 10 datasets. Conclusions are drawn regarding the high informational potential of the sources and the uniqueness of the information, despite a number of issues related to the variety of types, differences in formation, completeness of the information, and territorial coverage. The article analyzes the turnover of pharmacies and concludes its direct dependence on population growth; the dynamics of almshouses (public and mining) and shelters (maternity and orphanages) are identified; the provision of doctors in the cities of Altai is characterized in comparison with the provincial city of Tomsk. The processing of medical statistics and the analysis of the results lead to the identification of a stable interdependence of this sphere with the demographic, social, and economic development of the region. However, research practice requires clarification and verification of the existing material and a reference to archival materials.
Historical informatics. 2025;(2):23-38
23-38
Сity budgets 1920–1930: analysis in the context of quantum history
Resumo
The object of study is the structure and dynamics of urban budget in RSFSR in turbulent 1920-1930’s., when the Soviet system of administration and local-level budgeting was being institutionalized. City budgets have been subject to many changes. Despite the good historiographical coverage of the problem, quantitative methods are only beginning to be applied by researchers in this field. The work explores the potential of coefficient analysis as an integrated method for assessing the level of budgetary balance, independence and sustainability of the Soviet city (on the materials of Chelyabinsk). The method aims at aggregating disparate budget indicators and visualizing them as a certain set of graphs. The proposed sequence of actions consists of 8 steps: archival and source analysis of data; 2) definition of a set of coefficients; 3) conversion of coefficients to a comparable species; 4) calculation of composite indices; 5) Calculation of the Pearson correlation coefficients between individual and composite indices; 6) Determination of index weights; 7) Recalculation of composite indices to take into account the weighting factors; 8) Interpretation of the results. Coefficient analysis is an effective diagnostic tool. It is characterized by high sensitivity to the transformational impacts and shifts that have been experienced in urban budgets; it allows for an assessment of the scale of change and its implications. Thus, serious single or complex reforms in the 1920s-1930s led to disorientation and disorganization of city authorities, which was expressed in a noticeable decrease in the level of balance, independence and sustainability of the city budget within 1-2 years. The process of full or partial recovery took within 1-3 years. The most painful was the transformation shift 1930–1931, due to the transition to a planned economy and accelerated modernization.
Historical informatics. 2025;(2):39-54
39-54
The socio-professional portrait of the officer corps of the academies of the Russian Empire on the eve of World War I: creation and analysis of an information resource
Resumo
The article is a continuation of the research by the authors of the officer corps of the Russian army using information technology to create a collective portrait of the socio-professional identity of the officers of the Imperial Nikolaev Military Academy, the Nikolaev Engineering Academy, and the Mikhail Artillery Academy of the Russian Empire on the eve of World War I. The sources of the research included documents from the military department published online on the website of the Russian Military Historical Archive, presented in seniority lists of specific educational institutions at the beginning of 1914, seniority lists categorized by ranks, as well as historical reference internet resources on the historical issues. To form a collective portrait of the officers in our sample, the task was to identify the common and particular traits characteristic of the representatives of this group. In addition to measuring the socio-professional parameters of a specific group of officers in 1914, elements of the prosopographic method were employed, analyzing the indicators from previous stages of collective biographies of the studied group (origin, place of birth, education, combat experience, and the number of awards received during previous service). Based on the studied materials, a table was created using Microsoft Excel that reflected the main aspects of the socio-professional parameters of the officer corps of that time. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the application of a comprehensive approach to studying the main characteristics of the officers who served in the academies. As a result of the conducted analysis, 13 tables were constructed with data groupings on age, social and religious status, place of birth or registration, levels of general and military education, presence of combat experience, number of earned awards, ranks according to length of service, and positions held in the academies. The socio-professional image of the instructors and other officers of the military academies is examined in comparison with other groups of the officer corps, determining the specificity of this group in relation to the broader officer ranks. The article sets out the tasks of studying the career paths of the academy officers and the fates of officer families in the military-revolutionary era of 1914-1922. The authors specifically explain their desire to create a large database for studying the dynamics of biographies of different groups of officers, i.e., a prosopographic informational resource.
Historical informatics. 2025;(2):55-76
55-76
Geoinformation modeling of population changes in Russia in the 20th century
Resumo
The article contains the results of a historical-statistical study using geo-information methods, focused on exploring the spatial dynamics of population settlement in Russia during the 20th century. The aim of the research is to identify the potential of geo-information methods for visualizing and analyzing the spatial dynamics of population settlement in Russia during the 20th century. The subject of the research is the population settlement of Russian territory in its historical transformation influenced by socio-economic and political changes. In this study, population settlement refers to the number of people concentrated within the administrative-territorial units during a specific period. Changes in this number over time allow for the assessment of the spatial dynamics of settlement in Russia. The research is based on statistical data regarding population numbers by administrative-territorial units at the provincial, regional, and republican levels, presented in officially published collections and archival sources; officially published political-administrative maps over various years of the 20th century. The main methods of research chosen for this study are: historical-statistical; historical-geographical; and geo-information, specifically the computer modeling method using the geo-information system Surfer. The study was conducted over five selected periods (dates) that reflected characteristic changes in the population settlement of Russia, influenced by socio-economic and political factors: 1900, 1936, 1946, 1965, and 2000. As a result of the research, spatial waves of settlement in Russia during the 20th century were identified, the processes of forming concentration centers of settlement were visualized, and the polarization of the settlement space characteristic of each identified stage of socio-economic development under the influence of objective factors was clearly presented. The novelty of the research lies in demonstrating the effectiveness of the geo-information modeling method using the GIS package Surfer for analyzing the dynamics of the spatial historical process of settlement in Russia during the 20th century. This made it possible to identify the spatial waves of settlement in Russia during the 20th century, visualize the processes of forming concentration centers of settlement, and clearly represent the polarization of the settlement space. The practical significance consists in improving the methodology of applied historical-geographical research conducted through digital technologies.
Historical informatics. 2025;(2):77-89
77-89
Virtual reconstruction of late 19th century Church ensemble of St. Nicholas in Myasnitskaya Street in Moscow
Resumo
The article is devoted to the creation of a virtual reconstruction of the Church Complex of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on Myasnitskaya Street in Moscow at the end of the 19th century. In the course of study various historical sources were consolidated: architectural plans, measurements, drawings, photographic documents and written materials. The analysis of these sources allowed us to establish the architectural history of the church and determine its unique historical and cultural significance for the urban landscape of the capital. A comprehensive interdisciplinary approach combining traditional historical methods and the use of modern computer technologies, allowed us to carry out a step-by-step reconstruction of the appearance of buildings, interior decoration, and church utensils. The article provides a full description of the process of working with sources, from determining the dimensions of the object to compiling a list of the presented icons. The course of 3D modeling of the object is described in detail, including not only the use of specialized software, but also the experimental use of services with neural network models for colorization of black-and-white photographs, restoration of ornaments of wall and ceiling paintings in the interiors of the temple complex and automated creation of models of church decoration items. Based on the results of the study, a publicly available online resource was prepared containing a 3D model of the temple complex of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, available for use in educational and enlightening purposes, as well as a description of all stages of work on its creation. Additionally, a register of historical sources used in the study is provided, allowing anyone to access the materials that were used to create the virtual reconstruction.
Historical informatics. 2025;(2):90-126
90-126
Domestic experience of using a reflexive navigation tool for museum communication based on a telegram-bot aimed at a teenage audience
Resumo
The article examines the domestic experience of using telegram bots as a reflexive navigation tool for museum communication aimed at a teenage audience. Today, there is a steady trend towards improving museum communication tools, including in the context of working with a teenage audience. One of the promising directions in this area is the use of reflexive navigation tools based on the Telegram messenger. The functionality and convenience of creating chatbots based on the messenger open up wide possibilities for its use. The subject of the research is the tools of museum communication based on a telegram bot. The aim of the work is to identify typical problems faced by Russian museums when introducing telegram bots as a tool for museum communication with a teenage audience. The methodological basis of the work was a comparative analysis of existing telegram bots used by Russian museums. In addition, as part of the study, a content analysis of chatbot materials from Russian museums was conducted. The scientific novelty of the study is to identify typical problems faced by museums that implement communication tools with a teenage audience. At the moment, the process of implementing various tools is decentralized. A comparative study of reflexive navigation tools implemented on the basis of the Telegram messenger made it possible to identify the technical, organizational and methodological limitations of using chatbots in museum communication. At the same time, the further integration of telegram bots into the activities of museums opens up broad prospects for the development of "soft" skills among the teenage audience, as well as improving approaches to working with the exposition. The results of the work can be applied in the development of new telegram bots and the modernization of existing solutions, including as part of the integration of generative artificial intelligence into chatbots.
Historical informatics. 2025;(2):127-142
127-142
Reconstruction of a historical personality through the prism of the digital twin concept: from databases to neural network models
Resumo
In modern historical science, the term digital twin has not yet become widespread, although it is used in the field of related social sciences. At the same time, the concept of a digital twin carries potential versatility for describing various forms of digital representation of reconstructions of historical objects, including historical figures. In this regard, there is a need to develop a definition of a digital twin in relation to historical personalities, as well as to create a classification based on the level of complexity (maturity) of such twins. Classification criteria should take into account the degree of detail of the reconstructed object, the level of interactivity of the created model, its ability to learn and adapt, as well as the possibility of integration with machine learning technologies. The authors used methods of system analysis and a structural and functional approach, as well as a hierarchical method in compiling a classification of digital counterparts of historical personalities. In the course of the research, a definition of the concept of a digital twin regarding the reconstruction of a historical personality and their classification based on the technological complexity of implementation were proposed, the characteristic features of each type were described, supported by specific examples of implemented projects in this area. The digital twin of a historical personality is a digital model of a person that reproduces his features, characteristics and features based on historical sources. Based on the level of technological complexity, three types of existing digital twins can be distinguished: 1. A digital twin that adequately reflects the features of the reconstructed historical personality in its virtual representation. 2. An adaptive digital twin that not only adequately reflects the features of the reconstructed historical personality, but also includes the functions of an adaptive user interface focused on interaction with operators. 3. Intelligent digital twins are adaptive digital twins complemented by the possibility of independent machine learning. The development of digital twin technologies in general suggests the emergence of another type in the future — cognitive digital twins, working on the basis of knowledge graphs and artificial intelligence models and allowing decision-making support based on the experience and values of the reconstructed historical personality.
Historical informatics. 2025;(2):143-163
143-163
The Rules for the Arrangement of Quatrains in the "Prophecies" of Nostradamus: The "Scytale" Cipher and the Principle of Alliteration
Resumo
In recent publications, the author has demonstrated the presence of two types of steganography in Nostradamus's Prophecies. First, the order of the quatrains and the dates corresponding to them can presumably be reconstructed using simple ciphers similar to the well-known "scytale" cipher. Second, a graphic cipher is embedded in the Prophecies, possibly carrying illustrations for the predictive text. Fitting the text to the image parameters could be one of the reasons for its fogginess. This work continues the author's previous research concerning the algorithms for arranging quatrains. The author has developed a computer program for text analysis, which has revealed the chains of words "Provence" and "Concorde" placed in quatrains with equidistant numbers. The distance between the corresponding quatrains determines the keys for a cipher similar to a simple scytale, which allows arranging the fourth part of the quatrains without repetitions. The criterion for the correct arrangement is the presence of identical rare words in adjacent quatrains of the calculated chain, which was called by the author the "principle of alliteration." In addition, it turns out that the principle of alliteration is also applicable to the arrangement of quatrains in accordance with the previously formulated hypothesis concerning the counting of the letter combination "an." Thus, some specific algorithms for arranging quatrains have been discovered, which can be called the "branches" of the cipher. At the same time, the rules for assigning specific dates to quatrains remain less clear, which requires further research. It can be concluded that Nostradamus's Prophecies are not only a collection of predictive quatrains but also a kind of textbook of medieval steganography using several codes.
Historical informatics. 2025;(2):164-184
164-184