Digital Epigraphy is a project conceived by Krisztián Vértes (1976–2025), an artist and Egyptologist already well established in the field, who joined the Epigraphic Survey of the University of Chicago in 2005, bringing with him solid experience gained through collaboration with various archaeological missions. He quickly mastered the Chicago House method and soon became an integral part of the team, contributing not only his artistic precision and keen eye, but also a deep understanding of the techniques and principles underlying Egyptian wall reliefs and paintings.
Always interested in both technical and creative innovations, Krisztián began exploring how emerging digital tools could redefine epigraphic documentation. In 2012, he introduced drawing tablets and specialized software into the Survey’s workflow, applying them across a wide range of projects – from the painted reliefs at Medinet Habu to the Roman frescoes at Luxor Temple. This forward-thinking approach fundamentally reshaped the way facsimiles were produced at Chicago House. The following year, he documented his experiences and insights in Digital Epigraphy, an interactive iBook published by the Oriental Institute in 2014, aimed at sharing his methods with colleagues in the field. In the years since, the techniques he developed have been widely adopted and adapted by numerous other missions.
The iBook/PDF format soon proved impractical, as it couldn’t keep pace with the rapid evolution of digital tools and technology. Traditional publications were ill-suited to reflect the constant updates in hardware, software, and studio practices essential to digital documentation. In response, Krisztián created a dedicated website – digitalEPIGRAPHY – to provide a flexible, up-to-date, and widely accessible platform. Launched in 2018, it replaced the Digital Epigraphy manual as the Survey’s primary educational resource.
The website was envisioned as an educational hub for Egyptologists, artists, illustrators, designers, and anyone – professional or otherwise – interested in the application of modern digital documentation techniques to ancient Egyptian monuments. Its primary goal was to offer practical solutions for colleagues working both in the field and at home, while also providing up-to-date information on the latest tools, methods, and trends in digital epigraphy. Above all, the platform aimed to foster the exchange of ideas and experiences related to digital documentation – serving the needs of Egyptologists as well as professionals in related fields of cultural heritage preservation.
In 2023, Krisztián began working as an epigrapher at the Museo Egizio in Turin, where he also saw new possibilities for expanding digitalEPIGRAPHY. He envisioned the museum’s diverse collection – stelae, statues, wall fragments, coffins, and small objects – as valuable material for new documentation case studies, technical articles, and expanded database content. He saw the museum as a key partner in digitalEPIGRAPHY’s future, including its planned online courses and a proposed international conference on digital documentation, hosted at the museum and open to disciplines beyond Egyptology. His goal was to move toward a more unified epigraphic process, grounded in the high standards of the Epigraphic Survey.
Krisztián’s untimely passing leaves a deep void – not only among his family, friends, and colleagues, but also within the broader community devoted to digital epigraphy. Continuing his work will be a challenge, as digitalEPIGRAPHY was not only a project close to his heart, but was also shaped by his vision, creativity, and determination. Yet we remain committed to carrying it forward, as the need for the path he laid out is more relevant than ever. With archaeological and documentation projects across Egypt now mostly embracing digital methods, the need for a shared platform is increasingly evident. Today, digitalEPIGRAPHY stands as a vital resource where Egyptologists, artists, and epigraphers can exchange ideas, share tools, and access a wide array of digital and traditional documentation techniques.
Looking ahead, and building on Krisztián’s work, we hope to expand the scope of the website to explore new directions in documentation – such as methods for recording statues, small objects, and other diverse artifact types; experimenting with alternative digital collation techniques; and using photography more effectively in the service of digital documentation. We also aim to keep pace with emerging technologies and tools that continue to shape the field. In addition, we plan to grow our collections database and introduce a more systematic overview of the history of epigraphy – tracing its evolution into digital epigraphy – by drawing on existing publications, online articles, and documentation projects.
Most importantly, we want to make the website a truly collaborative platform by inviting colleagues to share their experiences, insights, and techniques in digital documentation, helping to foster a broader exchange of knowledge across the field.
Click HERE to visit digitalEPIGRAPHY
Always interested in both technical and creative innovations, Krisztián began exploring how emerging digital tools could redefine epigraphic documentation. In 2012, he introduced drawing tablets and specialized software into the Survey’s workflow, applying them across a wide range of projects – from the painted reliefs at Medinet Habu to the Roman frescoes at Luxor Temple. This forward-thinking approach fundamentally reshaped the way facsimiles were produced at Chicago House. The following year, he documented his experiences and insights in Digital Epigraphy, an interactive iBook published by the Oriental Institute in 2014, aimed at sharing his methods with colleagues in the field. In the years since, the techniques he developed have been widely adopted and adapted by numerous other missions.
The iBook/PDF format soon proved impractical, as it couldn’t keep pace with the rapid evolution of digital tools and technology. Traditional publications were ill-suited to reflect the constant updates in hardware, software, and studio practices essential to digital documentation. In response, Krisztián created a dedicated website – digitalEPIGRAPHY – to provide a flexible, up-to-date, and widely accessible platform. Launched in 2018, it replaced the Digital Epigraphy manual as the Survey’s primary educational resource.
The website was envisioned as an educational hub for Egyptologists, artists, illustrators, designers, and anyone – professional or otherwise – interested in the application of modern digital documentation techniques to ancient Egyptian monuments. Its primary goal was to offer practical solutions for colleagues working both in the field and at home, while also providing up-to-date information on the latest tools, methods, and trends in digital epigraphy. Above all, the platform aimed to foster the exchange of ideas and experiences related to digital documentation – serving the needs of Egyptologists as well as professionals in related fields of cultural heritage preservation.
In 2023, Krisztián began working as an epigrapher at the Museo Egizio in Turin, where he also saw new possibilities for expanding digitalEPIGRAPHY. He envisioned the museum’s diverse collection – stelae, statues, wall fragments, coffins, and small objects – as valuable material for new documentation case studies, technical articles, and expanded database content. He saw the museum as a key partner in digitalEPIGRAPHY’s future, including its planned online courses and a proposed international conference on digital documentation, hosted at the museum and open to disciplines beyond Egyptology. His goal was to move toward a more unified epigraphic process, grounded in the high standards of the Epigraphic Survey.
Krisztián’s untimely passing leaves a deep void – not only among his family, friends, and colleagues, but also within the broader community devoted to digital epigraphy. Continuing his work will be a challenge, as digitalEPIGRAPHY was not only a project close to his heart, but was also shaped by his vision, creativity, and determination. Yet we remain committed to carrying it forward, as the need for the path he laid out is more relevant than ever. With archaeological and documentation projects across Egypt now mostly embracing digital methods, the need for a shared platform is increasingly evident. Today, digitalEPIGRAPHY stands as a vital resource where Egyptologists, artists, and epigraphers can exchange ideas, share tools, and access a wide array of digital and traditional documentation techniques.
Looking ahead, and building on Krisztián’s work, we hope to expand the scope of the website to explore new directions in documentation – such as methods for recording statues, small objects, and other diverse artifact types; experimenting with alternative digital collation techniques; and using photography more effectively in the service of digital documentation. We also aim to keep pace with emerging technologies and tools that continue to shape the field. In addition, we plan to grow our collections database and introduce a more systematic overview of the history of epigraphy – tracing its evolution into digital epigraphy – by drawing on existing publications, online articles, and documentation projects.
Most importantly, we want to make the website a truly collaborative platform by inviting colleagues to share their experiences, insights, and techniques in digital documentation, helping to foster a broader exchange of knowledge across the field.
Click HERE to visit digitalEPIGRAPHY
