1.1.7. Frequently Asked Questions¶

Answers to common questions about using the World Historical Gazetteer.

1.1.7.1. Note to Documentation Team¶

FAQ should be:

Organized by category/topic
Based on actual user questions (monitor support channels)
Updated regularly as new questions emerge
Include links to detailed documentation
Consider upvoting/rating to surface most helpful answers
Add search functionality
Include “related questions” for each answer
Make it the first place confused users look
Track which questions drive most traffic
Consider video answers for complex questions
Cross-reference troubleshooting guides
Include examples and screenshots where helpful

1.1.7.2. General Questions¶

1.1.7.2.1. What is the World Historical Gazetteer?¶

WHG is a collaborative digital infrastructure for historical place data. It provides:

A searchable database of historical places with temporal context
Tools for contributing and linking place data
Reconciliation services connecting datasets
Visualization and analysis capabilities
Open access to historical geographic knowledge

Unlike traditional gazetteers, WHG explicitly models temporal change, uncertainty, and multiple scholarly perspectives.

See: Quick Start Guide

1.1.7.2.2. Is WHG free to use?¶

Yes. WHG is freely accessible for:

Searching and browsing place data
Downloading data for research and education
API access for integration
Contributing data

WHG is supported by grants and institutional partnerships.

1.1.7.2.3. Who should use WHG?¶

Researchers: Historians, archaeologists, geographers, digital humanists Educators: Teachers needing historical place resources Data Contributors: Projects with historical place data to share Developers: Building applications that need historical place lookup General Public: Anyone interested in historical geography

1.1.7.2.4. What time periods does WHG cover?¶

WHG covers all historical periods, from prehistory to the present. The temporal range depends on contributed data - some regions/periods are better covered than others.

Coverage is strongest for:

Classical Mediterranean (via Pleiades)
East Asia (via CHGIS)
Medieval Europe
Early modern trade routes

1.1.7.2.5. What geographic regions does WHG cover?¶

WHG is global in scope, but coverage varies by region. Well-represented areas include:

Mediterranean world
Europe
East and South Asia
Middle East and North Africa

We actively seek contributions for under-represented regions including Africa, Americas (especially pre-colonial), Oceania, and Central Asia.

1.1.7.2.6. How is WHG different from Google Maps or GeoNames?¶

Feature	WHG	Google Maps	GeoNames
Time	Fully temporal	Modern only	Mostly modern
History	Ancient to modern	Current	Limited historical
Uncertainty	Explicitly modeled	Not modeled	Not modeled
Provenance	All sources cited	No attribution	Limited attribution
Multiple Views	Multiple perspectives coexist	Single “truth”	Single “truth”
Names	Historical variants in original scripts	Modern names	Limited variants

Use WHG for historical research, temporal analysis, understanding how places changed Use Google Maps for navigation, modern locations, current business information Use GeoNames for modern place name lookup, administrative hierarchies

1.1.7.3. Searching Questions¶

1.1.7.3.1. Why can’t I find a place I know exists?¶

Several possible reasons:

1. Spelling/Transliteration: Try alternate spellings

Example: Try both “Qusṭanṭīnīyah” and “Constantinople”

2. Time Period: Adjust temporal range slider

The place may exist outside your current time filter

3. Name Change: Search for alternate historical names

Example: Istanbul was Constantinople was Byzantion

4. Not Yet in WHG: The place may not have been contributed yet

Consider contributing it!

5. Different Language: Try the name in the local language/script

Example: Search “京都” not just “Kyoto”

See: Search Problems

1.1.7.3.2. How do I search for places in non-Latin scripts?¶

WHG fully supports non-Latin scripts:

1. Type directly in the search box (if your keyboard supports it)

Example: 北京, القاهرة, Κωνσταντινούπολις

2. Use transliterations - WHG will find original scripts

Example: “Beijing” finds “北京”

3. Use character pickers/input methods provided in advanced search

See: Working with Scripts & Languages

1.1.7.3.3. Why do I see multiple results for the same place?¶

This can indicate:

1. Legitimate duplicates: Different datasets contributed same place without reconciliation

Solution: Report via GitHub or help reconcile

2. Actually different places: Same name, different locations

Example: Multiple “Alexandrias” founded by Alexander
Check coordinates and temporal context

3. Different aspects: Same place at different times treated separately

Example: Ancient Rome vs Medieval Rome might be separate subjects
Check temporal ranges

1.1.7.3.4. What does the certainty score mean?¶

Certainty scores (0.0-1.0) indicate confidence in an attestation:

0.9-1.0 (✓✓✓): Very confident, well-documented
0.7-0.9 (✓✓): Probable, reasonable evidence
0.5-0.7 (✓): Uncertain, limited evidence
Below 0.5: Speculative, questionable

Important: Low certainty ≠ wrong. It means “we’re not sure” which is valuable information.

See: Working with Uncertainty

1.1.7.4. Contributing Data Questions¶

1.1.7.4.1. How do I contribute data to WHG?¶

The basic process:

Create an account
Prepare your data (see format requirements)
Upload via web interface or API
Reconcile with existing records
Submit for review
Publication after approval

See: Contributing Data Overview

1.1.7.4.2. What format should my data be in?¶

WHG accepts:

CSV: Simple spreadsheet format (best for beginners)
GeoJSON: Standard geographic format
LPF JSON: Linked Places Format (most expressive)
Web forms: For small datasets, enter directly

Minimum required fields:

Place name(s)
At least rough coordinates or region
Temporal context (century-level acceptable)
Source citation(s)

See: Data Formats

1.1.7.4.3. Do I need coordinates for every place?¶

Preferred: Yes, coordinates enable spatial search and mapping

Acceptable: General region or “near” relationship to known place

Example: “Somewhere in Mesopotamia” or “Near Babylon”

Future: WHG may support gazetteer-style hierarchical location (TBD)

1.1.7.4.4. How long does review take?¶

Timeline varies by contribution size and complexity:

Small (<50 places): 1-2 weeks
Medium (50-1000 places): 2-6 weeks
Large (>1000 places): 2-6 months with planning

Factors affecting timeline:

Data quality
Complexity of reconciliation
Reviewer availability
Novelty/difficulty of content

1.1.7.4.5. What happens to my data after I contribute it?¶

You retain copyright to your data

WHG gets license to host, display, and distribute it

Your data:

Becomes searchable by all users
Is attributed to you
Can be downloaded (per your chosen license)
Can be edited/enhanced by you anytime
Cannot be deleted after publication (but can be deprecated)

We recommend open licenses (CC0, CC-BY) for maximum research impact

See: Contribution Overview: Data Licensing

1.1.7.4.6. Can I update my contribution after publication?¶

Yes! You can:

Add new attestations (names, geometries, etc.)
Refine temporal bounds
Correct errors
Add sources
Enhance existing data

You cannot:

Delete published records
Remove attestations from other contributors
Change fundamental identity (requires consultation)

See: Updating Contributions

1.1.7.5. Technical Questions¶

1.1.7.5.1. Does WHG have an API?¶

Yes! WHG provides REST APIs for:

Search: Query places programmatically
Reconciliation: Match your places to WHG records
Retrieval: Get full place records
Contribution: Submit data programmatically (requires authentication)

API Documentation: [link to API docs]

See: Using the API

1.1.7.5.2. Can I use WHG data in my project?¶

Yes, subject to license terms:

Most WHG data is under open licenses (CC0, CC-BY, CC-BY-SA)
Check individual dataset licenses
Always attribute sources appropriately
Cite WHG using provided DOIs

See: Citation & Attribution

1.1.7.5.3. How do I cite WHG?¶

Citing the platform:

World Historical Gazetteer. (2024). Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh. 
https://whgazetteer.org

Citing a specific dataset:

[Author]. (Year). [Dataset Title] [Data set]. World Historical Gazetteer. 
https://doi.org/[DOI]

Citing a specific place:

"[Place Name]," World Historical Gazetteer, accessed [Date], 
https://whgazetteer.org/places/[ID]

See: Citation & Attribution

1.1.7.5.4. Can I download all of WHG?¶

Yes, with caveats:

Bulk export is available via API
Large exports may take time
Respect license terms for each dataset
Attribution required

Recommended: Download only what you need, or specific datasets

See: Bulk Export

1.1.7.5.5. What software integrations exist?¶

WHG integrates with:

OpenRefine: Reconciliation service
QGIS: Via GeoJSON export
ArcGIS: Via GeoJSON export
Python: API client libraries
R: API access via httr/jsonlite
Jupyter Notebooks: Analysis workflows

See: Integrating with GIS Software, Integrating with Research Tools

1.1.7.6. Data Model Questions¶

1.1.7.6.1. What is an attestation?¶

An attestation is a source-backed claim connecting a subject (place) to information.

Structure: [Subject] --[relation_type]--> [Object] with source, timespan, certainty

Example: “[Constantinople] has_name [Name: ‘Istanbul’] according to [source] from [1930-present]”

Why attestations?:

Explicit provenance
Multiple perspectives can coexist
Uncertainty is modeled
Temporal context always present

See: Understanding WHG Concepts: Attestations

1.1.7.6.2. Why does WHG use this complex model?¶

Short answer: Historical knowledge is complex, contested, and uncertain. Simple models lose important information.

The attestation model enables:

Multiple sources making different claims
Scholarly disagreement to coexist
Uncertainty to be explicit
Changes over time to be tracked
Provenance to be traceable

Trade-off: More complex, but much richer and more honest

See: Data Model Overview

1.1.7.6.3. What’s the difference between a Subject and a Place?¶

Subject: The abstract entity that existed in the world Place: What we colloquially call it, but technically it’s the subject plus all its attestations

Think of it like:

Subject = the person “William Shakespeare”
Attestations = all the facts we know about him

The subject is the “hook” that holds all the information together.

See: Core Entities: Subjects

1.1.7.6.4. Can one place have multiple geometries?¶

Yes, and this is common:

Reasons for multiple geometries:

Temporal change: City expanded, moved, or contracted
Uncertainty: Multiple possible locations
Different sources: Conflicting geographic claims
Multiple representations: Point for searching, polygon for extent

Example: Medieval city might have:

Point: City center
Polygon: Walled area
Larger polygon: Suburbs
All with different timespans

See: Geometries & Locations

1.1.7.7. Account & Access Questions¶

1.1.7.7.1. Do I need an account to search WHG?¶

No - Searching, browsing, and downloading are freely accessible without an account

Account needed for:

Contributing data
Creating collections
Saving searches
Editing records
API access (for writes)

1.1.7.7.2. How do I create an account?¶

Click “Sign Up” in top navigation
Provide email and create password
Verify email address
Complete profile (optional but recommended)

Account is free and takes <2 minutes

See: Creating an Account

1.1.7.7.3. I forgot my password. What do I do?¶

Click “Login”
Click “Forgot Password?”
Enter your email
Check email for reset link (check spam!)
Create new password

Still having trouble? Email support@whgazetteer.org

1.1.7.7.4. How do I get editing permissions?¶

For contributed data: You automatically have editing rights

For others’ data:

Must be granted permissions by dataset owner or WHG administrators
Usually requires being part of a collaborative project
Contact dataset owner or support@whgazetteer.org

See: Editing Permissions

1.1.7.8. Troubleshooting Questions¶

1.1.7.8.1. The map isn’t loading. What’s wrong?¶

Common causes:

Slow connection: Large datasets take time to load
Browser issues: Try refreshing, clearing cache
Too many points: Map may timeout on very large result sets
- Solution: Filter/refine your search
Browser compatibility: Use Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge (recent versions)

See: Performance & Timeouts

1.1.7.8.2. My upload failed. What happened?¶

Check for:

File format errors: Ensure valid CSV/JSON/GeoJSON
Required fields missing: Name, coordinates, temporal info needed
File size limits: Very large files may timeout
- Solution: Split into smaller batches
Invalid data: Check error messages for specifics

Still stuck? Email the error message to support@whgazetteer.org

See: Upload Problems

1.1.7.8.3. Search is very slow. How can I speed it up?¶

Optimization strategies:

Add temporal constraints: Narrow date range
Add spatial constraints: Limit to region
Be more specific: Use more precise search terms
Filter results: Apply type or certainty filters
Check network: Slow connection affects performance

System Status: Check [status page] for known issues

See: Performance & Timeouts

1.1.7.8.4. Why can’t I see my contribution?¶

Possible reasons:

Still in review: Check your account dashboard for status
Not published yet: Approval pending
Cache delay: Try refreshing, clearing browser cache
Search parameters: May be filtered out by your search
Error during ingestion: Check for email notification

Timeline: Most contributions appear within minutes of approval

1.1.7.9. Community & Support Questions¶

1.1.7.9.1. How can I get help?¶

Resources:

This Documentation: Comprehensive guides
Community Forum: Ask questions, share tips
Email Support: support@whgazetteer.org
GitHub Issues: Report bugs, request features
Office Hours: Weekly Q&A sessions (schedule on website)

1.1.7.9.2. How can I report a bug?¶

Check: Is it documented in Common Issues?
Search: GitHub issues - may already be