This is the repository for Version 3.0b (beta) of the World Historical Gazetteer (WHG) web platform and API, in active development. Its release replacing Version 2.1 is planned for June, 2024. Until then Version 2.1 of WHG is live at https://whgazetteer.org, and that repository is here.
WHG is an open-source project and welcomes contributions of content and code. Please see this document for an overview of how to participate in the several aspects of WHG development. Specific tasks in our long TODO queue will be added as GitHub issues soon. This repository can be cloned as a Docker project with the procedure outlined here.
Added 'Teaching' section of the site. Eight lesson plans included to start, primarily high school level
New "Collection" feature added, with two early examples: "Dutch History" and "HGIS de las Indias"
Revamped search functionality: option to search database as well as index; filter results by type, country, map bounding box; return to results from place pages
Public views for datasets, collections, and individual records
Dataset and Collection maps now using MapLibreGL, for fast rendering of large datasets
Reliablity and error reporting for upload functions improved
Rewritten documentation; new tutorial on LP-TSV creation and new sample lesson plan
SSL (https) enabled
Formation of an editorial team has begun
Redesigned home page
Code refactoring and cleanup
Dataset downloads. Options from dataset detail panel to download a) latest uploaded data file as is, b) augmented dataset (includes any geometries and/or concordance 'links' added during reconciliation review step).
Draft public API. Parameters include q=, dataset=, ccodes=. E.g. /api/?q=abydos&dataset=black&ccodes=eg
Misc minor UI fixes.
Core data significantly expanded. Added ~1.5 million place records from Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names (TGN), and ~1,000 large cities from GeoNames to WHG index. Contributions from historical sources will, in addition to adding novel entries, add "temporal depth" to these ahistorical data.
Dataset updates. Dataset owners are now able to perform updates by uploading new data files. Analysis of the changes to be made (add, remove, replace) is performed automatically, and presented for review before performing them. NOTE: available only for LP-TSV format currently. Linked Places format will follow soon, as will enhancements to file management.
"Collaborator" role. Dataset owners can specify any number of registered users as collaborators, able to view non-public data and assist in review of reconciliation results; effectively, dataset project teams.
Undo last reconciliation match. When moving quickly through prospective matches in the reconciliation review task, it is possible to inadvertently save a match; we've added a single step undo of the last action.
Dataset management functions consolidated. Single page with tabs for Metadata, Browse, Reconciliation, Collaboration functionality.