KIŠIB Kick-off at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
November 17, 2025 marked a special milestone for our project: the official kick-off event of KIŠIB – Digital Corpus of Ancient West Asian Seals and Sealings took place at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. The event brought together colleagues, partners, and friends to celebrate the launch of this ambitious long-term research project.
Distinguished Guests and Inspiring Words
We were honoured to welcome several distinguished speakers who opened the event with their greetings and support. Academy President Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Christoph Markschies emphasised the significance of the project within the academy’s research landscape. Prof. Dr. Eva Cancik-Kirschbaum, Academy member and professor of Assyriology at Freie Universität Berlin, highlighted the scholarly importance of systematically documenting this invaluable cultural heritage. Prof. Dr. Barbara Helwing, director of the Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin, was represented by Dr. Helen Gries, who underscored the crucial role of collaboration between museums and research projects.
A particularly meaningful moment came with the presence of Evelyn Klengel-Brandt, former director of the Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin, who fostered research on ancient West Asian seals and sealings in Berlin for decades. Her attendance added a wonderful sense of continuity between past and present research on seals and sealings in Berlin. This connection lies at the heart of the KIŠIB project’s values.
Presenting KIŠIB: Vision, Strategies, and Tools
Following the opening addresses, the KIŠIB team took the stage to present the project’s goals and methodology. Prof. Dr. Elisa Roßberger, Prof. Dr. Adelheid Otto, Dr. Albert Dietz, and Dr. Sebastian Hageneuer shared insights into how KIŠIB will create a comprehensive digital corpus of approximately 80,000 seals and sealings from ancient West Asia and neighbouring regions. The presentations covered the project’s innovative approaches to data curation, controlled vocabularies, and the application of machine learning to image and text annotation. The team emphasized KIŠIB’s commitment to FAIR and LOUD data principles, ensuring that this rich cultural heritage will be accessible not only to specialists but also to a broad international audience. International collaboration – particularly with colleagues and institutions in West Asia – was highlighted as a cornerstone of the project’s philosophy.
Networking and Conversations
After the formal presentations, guests gathered for an extended reception with a generous buffet. The relaxed atmosphere provided the perfect opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and build new connections. Colleagues from various institutions engaged in lively conversations about seal research, digital humanities, and potential collaborations. The enthusiasm and support we encountered throughout the evening were truly inspiring.
The kick-off event was more than just a formal beginning – it was a genuine celebration of interdisciplinary collaboration and shared passion for ancient West Asian cultural heritage. We are grateful to everyone who joined us and helped make this event so memorable. As we embark on this long-term journey, we look forward to continued dialogue with our partners, colleagues, and the wider academic community. Stay tuned to this blog for updates on our progress, discoveries, and upcoming events!
