A gentle introduction to the Semantic Web, with a focus on solving practical problems in the cultural heritage domain. Discussed in the presentation are basic Semantic Web concepts, strategies for structuring unstructured data, natural language processing, and amalgamation of multiple source data stores using inferencing. These slides originally accompanied a presentation given at the 2008 Museum Computer Network conference by Koven J. Smith and Don Undeen of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC.

3. Large amounts of data, multiple sources Collections Management System Digital Asset Management System Bibliographic Records Word Documents Archival Materials Artist Letters Publications Didactic Text/Labels

4. Madame X: depicts Virginie Amelie Avegno Gautreau, wife of Pierre Gautreau was first shown at the Paris Salon in 1884 is a portrait was created by John Singer Sargent was originally titled “Portrait de Mme ***” is related to a portrait by Gustave Courtois, who painted the same subject is 82.5” by 43.5” was acquired by MMA at the same time as “Elijah On the Fiery Chariot” by William Blake

7. Structured Content Collections Management System Object Record Creator Record Creator Name: John Singer Sargent

9. Semantic MediaWiki

13. Triple SUBJECT OBJECT PREDICATE (PROPERTY) “ Madame X” “ Elijah In the Fiery Chariot” acquiredConcurrentlyWith

17. “ Madame X” John Singer Sargent paintedBy

18. “ Madame X” 1884 paintedIn

19. “ Madame X” John Singer Sargent paintedBy 1884 paintedIn NODE NODE NODE PROPERTY PROPERTY

20. “ Madame X” painting is A John Singer Sargent painter is A 1884 date is A INSTANCES CLASSES

21. paintedBy 1884 paintedIn “ Madame X” John Singer Sargent painting isA painter isA date isA

22. painting artwork subClassOf painter artist subClassOf paintedBy madeBy subPropertyOf

23. paintedBy 1884 paintedIn “ Madame X” John Singer Sargent painting isA painter isA date isA artwork subClassOf artist subClassOf madeBy subPropertyOf

24. “ Madame X” INFERRED TRIPLE painting isA artwork subClassOf isA “ Madame X” artwork isA(n)

25. paintedBy 1884 paintedIn “ Madame X” John Singer Sargent painting isA painter isA date isA artwork subClassOf artist subClassOf madeBy subPropertyOf isA isA ONTOLOGY

27. <marc_record> <marc_leader>00259nz a2200109n 4500</marc_leader> <marc_datafield tag=&quot;245&quot; > <marc_subfield code=&quot;a&quot;>John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X.</marc_subfield> </marc_datafield> </marc_record> This portion of a MARC XML format represents a book’s Title <IMAGE> <PARAM> <LABEL>Object_Title</LABEL> <VALUE> <STRING>Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau)</STRING> </VALUE> </PARAM> </IMAGE> MARC MediaBin TMS Ontologies Can also be IMPORTED from other formats, into triples. AccNo ID 16.53 12 Table OBJECTS “ Madame X” 12 Title ObjectID Table OBJECT_TITLES 33 12 ConstituentID ObjectID Table CONXREFS John Singer Sargent 33 Name ID Table CONSTITUENTS

28. <marc_record> <marc_leader>00259nz a2200109n 4500</marc_leader> <marc_datafield tag=&quot;245&quot; > <marc_subfield code=&quot;a&quot;>John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X.</marc_subfield> </marc_datafield> </marc_record> This portion of a MARC XML format represents a book’s Title <IMAGE> <PARAM> <LABEL>Object_Title</LABEL> <VALUE> <STRING>Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau)</STRING> </VALUE> </PARAM> </IMAGE> MARC MediaBin TMS Ontologies Can also be IMPORTED from other formats, into triples. AccNo ID 16.53 12 Table OBJECTS “ Madame X” 12 Title ObjectID Table OBJECT_TITLES 33 12 ConstituentID ObjectID Table CONXREFS John Singer Sargent 33 Name ID Table CONSTITUENTS

29. <marc_record> <marc_leader>00259nz a2200109n 4500</marc_leader> <marc_datafield tag=&quot;245&quot; > <marc_subfield code=&quot;a&quot;>John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X.</marc_subfield> </marc_datafield> </marc_record> XML Import: MARC XML

30. XML Import: MARC XML <marc_record> <marc_leader>00259nz a2200109n 4500</marc_leader> <marc_datafield tag=&quot;245&quot; > <marc_subfield code=&quot;a&quot;>John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X.</marc_subfield> </marc_datafield> </marc_record> marc_record marc_leader marc_subfield marc_datafield Element Names become CLASSES

31. XML Import: MARC XML <marc_record> <marc_leader>00259nz a2200109n 4500</marc_leader> <marc_datafield tag=&quot;245&quot; > <marc_subfield code=&quot;a&quot;>John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X.</marc_subfield> </marc_datafield> </marc_record> marc_record marc_datafield1 marc_leader marc_subfield marc_record1 marc_datafield marc_leader1 marc_subfield1 isA isA isA isA Element Names become CLASSES Individual Elements become INSTANCES Of those classes

32. XML Import: MARC XML <marc_record> <marc_leader>00259nz a2200109n 4500</marc_leader> <marc_datafield tag=&quot;245&quot; > <marc_subfield code=&quot;a&quot;>John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X.</marc_subfield> </marc_datafield> </marc_record> marc_record marc_datafield1 marc_leader marc_subfield marc_record1 marc_datafield marc_leader1 marc_subfield1 isA isA isA isA child child child Element Names become CLASSES Individual Elements become INSTANCES Of those classes Parent Elements connected to children Via child relationship

33. XML Import: MARC XML <marc_record> <marc_leader>00259nz a2200109n 4500</marc_leader> <marc_datafield tag=&quot;245&quot; > <marc_subfield code=&quot;a&quot;>John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X.</marc_subfield> </marc_datafield> </marc_record> marc_record marc_datafield1 marc_leader marc_subfield marc_record1 marc_datafield marc_leader1 marc_subfield1 “ 245” “ a” code isA isA isA isA child child child tag Element Names become CLASSES Individual Elements become INSTANCES Of those classes Parent Elements connected to children Via child relationship Attributes become Properties

34. XML Import: MARC XML <marc_record> <marc_leader>00259nz a2200109n 4500</marc_leader> <marc_datafield tag=&quot;245&quot; > <marc_subfield code=&quot;a&quot;>John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X.</marc_subfield> </marc_datafield> </marc_record> marc_record marc_datafield1 marc_leader marc_subfield marc_record1 marc_datafield marc_leader1 marc_subfield1 “ 245” “ a” “ 00259nz a2200109n 4500” “ John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X” code isA isA isA isA child child child text text tag Element Names become CLASSES Individual Elements become INSTANCES Of those classes Parent Elements connected to children Via child property Attributes become Properties Text is connected with the text property

35. XML Import: MARC XML <marc_record> <marc_leader>00259nz a2200109n 4500</marc_leader> <marc_datafield tag=&quot;245&quot; > <marc_subfield code=&quot;a&quot;>John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X.</marc_subfield> </marc_datafield> </marc_record> marc_record marc_datafield1 marc_leader marc_subfield marc_record1 marc_datafield marc_leader1 marc_subfield1 “ 245” “ a” “ 00259nz a2200109n 4500” “ John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X” code isA isA isA isA child child child text text tag

36. XML Import: MediaBin XML <IMAGE> <PARAM> <LABEL>Object_Title</LABEL> <VALUE> <STRING>Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau)</STRING> </VALUE> </PARAM> </IMAGE> This portion of a MediaBin XML record denotes an image’s Title IMAGE PARAM LABEL VALUE STRING IMAGE1 PARAM1 LABEL1 VALUE1 STRING1 “ Object_Title” “ Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau)” isA isA isA isA isA text text child child child child

37. RDB Import: TMS This Portion of TMS database records Represents the Title and Artist of “Madame X” Tools like D2RQ ( free) make it possible to do this translation In real-time, from the SQL database. Data does not need to be “Imported.” AccNo ID 16.53 12 Table OBJECTS “ Madame X” 12 Title ObjectID Table OBJECT_TITLES 33 12 ConstituentID ObjectID Table CONXREFS John Singer Sargent 33 Name ID Table CONSTITUENTS

38. RDB Import: TMS OBJECTS OBJECT_TITLES CONXREFS CONSTITUENTS This Portion of TMS database records Represents the Title and Artist of “Madame X” Tools like D2RQ make it possible to do this translation In real-time, from the SQL database. Data does not need to be “Imported.” Tables Become CLASSES AccNo ID 16.53 12 Table OBJECTS “ Madame X” 12 Title ObjectID Table OBJECT_TITLES 33 12 ConstituentID ObjectID Table CONXREFS John Singer Sargent 33 Name ID Table CONSTITUENTS

39. RDB Import: TMS OBJECTS OBJECT_TITLES CONXREFS CONSTITUENTS Object12 ObjectTitle12 ConXRefs1233 Constituents33 isA isA isA isA This Portion of TMS database records Represents the Title and Artist of “Madame X” Tools like D2RQ make it possible to do this translation In real-time, from the SQL database. Data does not need to be “Imported.” Tables Become CLASSES Individual rows become INSTANCES AccNo ID 16.53 12 Table OBJECTS “ Madame X” 12 Title ObjectID Table OBJECT_TITLES 33 12 ConstituentID ObjectID Table CONXREFS John Singer Sargent 33 Name ID Table CONSTITUENTS

40. RDB Import: TMS OBJECTS OBJECT_TITLES CONXREFS CONSTITUENTS Object12 ObjectTitle12 ConXRefs1233 Constituents33 ObjectID ObjectID ConstituentID isA isA isA isA This Portion of TMS database records Represents the Title and Artist of “Madame X” Tools like D2RQ make it possible to do this translation In real-time, from the SQL database. Data does not need to be “Imported.” Tables Become CLASSES Individual rows become INSTANCES Relational Keys become Properties connecting INSTANCES AccNo ID 16.53 12 Table OBJECTS “ Madame X” 12 Title ObjectID Table OBJECT_TITLES 33 12 ConstituentID ObjectID Table CONXREFS John Singer Sargent 33 Name ID Table CONSTITUENTS

41. RDB Import: TMS OBJECTS OBJECT_TITLES CONXREFS CONSTITUENTS Object12 ObjectTitle12 ConXRefs1233 Constituents33 “ Madame X” “ 12” “ 33” “ John Singer Sargent” “ 16.53” ObjectID ObjectID ConstituentID ID ID AccNo Title Name isA isA isA isA This Portion of TMS database records Represents the Title and Artist of “Madame X” Tools like D2RQ make it possible to do this translation In real-time, from the SQL database. Data does not need to be “Imported.” Tables Become CLASSES Individual rows become INSTANCES Relational Keys become Properties connecting INSTANCES All other columns become Properties AccNo ID 16.53 12 Table OBJECTS “ Madame X” 12 Title ObjectID Table OBJECT_TITLES 33 12 ConstituentID ObjectID Table CONXREFS John Singer Sargent 33 Name ID Table CONSTITUENTS

42. RDB Import: TMS OBJECTS OBJECT_TITLES CONXREFS CONSTITUENTS Object12 ObjectTitle12 ConXRefs1233 Constituents33 “ Madame X” “ 12” “ 33” “ John Singer Sargent” “ 16.53” ObjectID ObjectID ConstituentID ID ID AccNo Title Name isA isA isA isA This Portion of TMS database records Represents the Title and Artist of “Madame X” Tools like D2RQ make it possible to do this translation In real-time, from the SQL database. Data does not need to be “Imported.” AccNo ID 16.53 12 Table OBJECTS “ Madame X” 12 Title ObjectID Table OBJECT_TITLES 33 12 ConstituentID ObjectID Table CONXREFS John Singer Sargent 33 Name ID Table CONSTITUENTS

43. marc_record marc_datafield1 marc_leader marc_subfield marc_record1 marc_datafield marc_leader1 marc_subfield1 “ 245” “ a” “ John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X” code isA isA isA isA child child child text tag IMAGE PARAM LABEL VALUE STRING IMAGE1 PARAM1 LABEL1 VALUE1 STRING1 “ Object_Title” “ Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau)” isA isA isA isA isA text text child child child child OBJECTS OBJECT_TITLES CONXREFS CONSTITUENTS Object12 ObjectTitle12 ConXRefs1233 Constituents33 “ Madame X” “ 12” “ 33” “ John Singer Sargent” ObjectID ObjectID ConstituentID ID ID Title Name isA isA isA isA MARC MediaBin TMS

45. Existing Triple-Based Ontologies: CIDOC

46. Existing Triple-Based Ontologies: E71.Man-Made Thing E35.Title E12.Production Event E39.Actor P11B.participated_in Thing1 Event1 Title1 Actor1 P108B.was_produced_by P131F.is_identified_by P102F.has_title “ Madame X” “ John Singer Sargent” P3F.has_note CIDOC

47. marc_record marc_datafield1 marc_leader marc_subfield marc_record1 marc_datafield marc_leader1 marc_subfield1 “ 245” “ a” “ John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X” code isA isA isA isA child child child text tag

48. marc_record marc_datafield1 marc_leader marc_subfield marc_record1 marc_datafield marc_leader1 marc_subfield1 “ 245” “ a” “ John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X” code isA isA isA isA child child child text tag E31.Document subClassOf

49. marc_record marc_datafield1 marc_leader marc_subfield marc_record1 marc_datafield marc_leader1 marc_subfield1 “ 245” “ a” “ John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X” code isA isA isA isA child child child text tag E35.Title subClassOf E31.Document subClassOf

50. marc_record marc_datafield1 marc_leader marc_subfield marc_record1 marc_datafield marc_leader1 marc_subfield1 “ 245” “ a” “ John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X” code isA isA isA isA child child child text tag E35.Title P102F.has_title subClassOf SubPropertyOf SubPropertyOf E31.Document subClassOf

51. marc_record marc_datafield1 marc_leader marc_subfield marc_record1 marc_datafield marc_leader1 marc_subfield1 “ 245” “ a” “ John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X” code isA isA isA isA child child child text tag E35.Title P102F.has_title P3F.has_note subClassOf SubPropertyOf SubPropertyOf E31.Document subClassOf

52. marc_record1 marc_subfield1 “ John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X” E35.Title P102F.has_title P3F.has_note E31.Document isA

53. IMAGE PARAM LABEL VALUE STRING IMAGE1 PARAM1 LABEL1 VALUE1 STRING1 “ Object_Title” “ Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau)” isA isA isA isA isA text text child child child child

54. IMAGE PARAM LABEL VALUE STRING IMAGE1 PARAM1 LABEL1 VALUE1 STRING1 “ Object_Title” “ Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau)” isA isA isA isA isA text text child child child child E35.Title P102F.has_title P3F.has_note SubPropertyOf E38.Image subClassOf subClassOf SubPropertyOf

55. IMAGE1 STRING1 “ Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau)” isA E35.Title P102F.has_title P3F.has_note E38.Image isA

56. OBJECTS OBJECT_TITLES CONXREFS CONSTITUENTS Object12 ObjectTitle12 ConXRefs1233 Constituents33 “ Madame X” “ 12” “ 33” “ John Singer Sargent” “ 16.53” ObjectID ObjectID ConstituentID ID ID AccNo Title Name isA isA isA isA

57. OBJECTS OBJECT_TITLES CONXREFS CONSTITUENTS Object12 ObjectTitle12 ConXRefs1233 Constituents33 “ Madame X” “ John Singer Sargent” ObjectID ObjectID ConstituentID Title Name isA isA isA isA

58. E71.Man-Made Thing E35.Title E12.Production Event E39.Actor P108B.was_produced_by P131F.is_identified_by P102F.has_title P3F.has_note OBJECTS OBJECT_TITLES CONXREFS CONSTITUENTS Object12 ObjectTitle12 ConXRefs1233 Constituents33 “ Madame X” “ John Singer Sargent” ObjectID ObjectID ConstituentID Title Name isA isA isA isA P102B.is_title_of P108F.produced P11F.had_participant SubClassOf SubClassOf SubClassOf SubClassOf subPropertyOf subPropertyOf inversePropertyOf inversePropertyOf subPropertyOf subPropertyOf subPropertyOf

59. E71.Man-Made Thing E35.Title E12.Production Event E39.Actor P102F.has_title P3F.has_note Object12 ObjectTitle12 ConXRefs1233 Constituents33 “ Madame X” “ John Singer Sargent” isA isA P108B.was_produced_by P11F.had_participant isA P131F.is_identified_by isA

60. E71.Man-Made Thing E35.Title E12.Production Event E39.Actor E38.Image E31.Document has_title has_note Object12 ObjectTitle12 ConXRefs1233 Constituents33 “ Madame X” “ John Singer Sargent” was_produced_by had_participant is_identified_by IMAGE1 STRING1 “ Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau)” has_title has_note marc_record1 marc_subfield1 “ John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X” has_title has_note isA isA isA isA isA isA isA isA

61. SELECT DISTINCT ?found ?node ?rootNode ?rootText WHERE{ FILTER(fn:matches(?found, ‘madame x’,’I’)). ?node has_note ?found . ?node composite:hasRootNode ?rootNode . ?rootNode has_title ?rootTitle . ?rootTitle has_note ?rootText . }