MIDAS Heritage Dictionary
The Dictionary covers all the units of information listed in the content standard. We are always keen to improve it so do get in touch with us if you have any suggestions or comments on the selection using the Contact Form on our Home page. Thank you for your help!
Each entry includes the following:
Unit name
The name by which the Unit of Information is referred to. This name should be used in information system documentation to indicate that the MIDAS Heritage data standard is being applied.
Definition
The purpose of a particular Unit of Information; why it has been included in the MIDAS Heritage standard. Once adopted by an information system the definition of a Unit of Information should not be allowed to change to accommodate extra or related information. Additional concepts should be recorded in additional Units of Information or included by creating additional Units of Information outside the scope of MIDAS Heritage in your information system. Breaking this rule will compromise the ability of the information system to retrieve entries effectively.
Guidance
Covers considerations that should be taken into account for a particular Unit of Information.
Controlled entry
Recommends whether or not a centrally controlled list of acceptable terms should be used to create consistent entries, or other notes on the format of entries.
Many of the nationally agreed controlled vocabulary lists are available here on this website (see FISH Terminology) and the English Heritage website: http://thesaurus.english-heritage.org.uk/frequentuser.htm
Note that it is good practice to document the controlled vocabularies used for entries. The Controlled Vocabulary Name Unit of Information should be used for this. This is a requirement when entries are shared between information systems.
Where a controlled vocabulary is recommended, but no existing list is referred to, dataset managers should maintain a consistent list of terms.
Where ‘Free text’ is shown here, the information system should adopt a standard practice. Retrieval is generally improved by:
Information group
Lists the Information Group or Groups that a particular Unit of Information occurs in.
Examples
Instances of the sort of information that might appear in this Unit of Information in an information system. Note that all examples are fictitious to illustrate the use of the unit.
Note that in most cases examples are given in upper case for clarity, with additional notes or labels in mixed case. Information system managers should adopt upper or lower case consistently for entries in each Unit of Information, as appropriate for their needs.
Each entry includes the following:
Unit name
The name by which the Unit of Information is referred to. This name should be used in information system documentation to indicate that the MIDAS Heritage data standard is being applied.
Definition
The purpose of a particular Unit of Information; why it has been included in the MIDAS Heritage standard. Once adopted by an information system the definition of a Unit of Information should not be allowed to change to accommodate extra or related information. Additional concepts should be recorded in additional Units of Information or included by creating additional Units of Information outside the scope of MIDAS Heritage in your information system. Breaking this rule will compromise the ability of the information system to retrieve entries effectively.
Guidance
Covers considerations that should be taken into account for a particular Unit of Information.
Controlled entry
Recommends whether or not a centrally controlled list of acceptable terms should be used to create consistent entries, or other notes on the format of entries.
Many of the nationally agreed controlled vocabulary lists are available here on this website (see FISH Terminology) and the English Heritage website: http://thesaurus.english-heritage.org.uk/frequentuser.htm
Note that it is good practice to document the controlled vocabularies used for entries. The Controlled Vocabulary Name Unit of Information should be used for this. This is a requirement when entries are shared between information systems.
Where a controlled vocabulary is recommended, but no existing list is referred to, dataset managers should maintain a consistent list of terms.
Where ‘Free text’ is shown here, the information system should adopt a standard practice. Retrieval is generally improved by:
- minimising the use of punctuation;
- avoiding the use of abbreviations, unless these are standardised and included in compilation manuals for the information system;
- standardising accepted spelling using an agreed dictionary.
Information group
Lists the Information Group or Groups that a particular Unit of Information occurs in.
Examples
Instances of the sort of information that might appear in this Unit of Information in an information system. Note that all examples are fictitious to illustrate the use of the unit.
Note that in most cases examples are given in upper case for clarity, with additional notes or labels in mixed case. Information system managers should adopt upper or lower case consistently for entries in each Unit of Information, as appropriate for their needs.
Units of Information
A
Activity Name
Activity Objective
Activity Type
Administrative Area Name
Administrative Area Type
Agent of Damage
Archive Extent
Archive/Source Format
Archive/Source Location
Archive/Source Reference
Archive/Source Type
Area Type
Artefact Name Type
Artefact/Ecofact Type
Associated Goods
Audience
Authorisation Required
B
Buffer Zone Width
C
Cadastral Reference Source
Cadastral Reference Value
Case Status
Characterisation Statement
Collection Extent
Compiler (Organisation)
Compiler (Person)
Completeness
Component
Condition
Condition Date
Condition Statement
Conservation Plan
Conservation Treatment Priority
Construction Method
Contact Point
Contact Point Type
Controlled Vocabulary Name
Craft Type
Currency
D
Data Capture Process
Data Capture Scale
Date of Compilation
Date of Last Update
Date of Origination
Date Range Qualifier
Departure (Place)
Description
Description Type
Destination
Dimension
Dimension Measurement Unit
Dimension Value
Directions
Display Date
E
Educational Level
End Date
Entry Type
Environmental Condition Note
Evidence
External Information System
External Information System Primary Reference Number
G
Geopolitical Area Name
Geopolitical Area Type
Grid Reference
H
Height Above Ordnance Datum
Height Below Ordnance Datum
Heritage Asset Name
Historical Event Type
I
Information Source Title
Inscription Content
Inscription Note
Internal Cross Reference Number
L
Language
Locality
M
Maintenance Plan
Management Activity Method
Management Activity Type
Management Proposal Outcome
Management Proposal Recommendation
Management Proposal Type
Management Proposal Work Proposed
Manner of Loss
Map Sheet
Material
Material Component
Material Component Note
Material Name
Modification State
Monument Type
N
Named Location
Narrative Text
Nationality
Notification Date
Number in Road or Street
O
Occupancy
Occupation
Organisation Name
P
People Name
Period (Name)
Person Name
Positional Accuracy
Post Code
Potential (Key Item Flag)
Potential (Note)
Precision
Primary Reference Number
Primary Reference Number Relation
Primary Reference Number Type
Prime Motive Power
Production Method
Production Technique
Production End Date
Protection Grade
Protection Start Date
Protection Type
Q
Quality
R
Recovery Method
Recovery Purpose
Registration Place
Representation Source
Right Note
Right Type
Road or Street Name
Role
S
Scientific Date
Scientific Date Method
Spatial Feature Type
Start Date
Statement of Responsibility
Statement of Significance
Statutory Description
Statutory Name
Storage Location
Subject
V
Value Statement
Value Type
Vulnerability Level
W
Work Status
X
X Coordinate
Y
Y Coordinate
Z
Z Coordinate
A
Activity Name
Activity Objective
Activity Type
Administrative Area Name
Administrative Area Type
Agent of Damage
Archive Extent
Archive/Source Format
Archive/Source Location
Archive/Source Reference
Archive/Source Type
Area Type
Artefact Name Type
Artefact/Ecofact Type
Associated Goods
Audience
Authorisation Required
B
Buffer Zone Width
C
Cadastral Reference Source
Cadastral Reference Value
Case Status
Characterisation Statement
Collection Extent
Compiler (Organisation)
Compiler (Person)
Completeness
Component
Condition
Condition Date
Condition Statement
Conservation Plan
Conservation Treatment Priority
Construction Method
Contact Point
Contact Point Type
Controlled Vocabulary Name
Craft Type
Currency
D
Data Capture Process
Data Capture Scale
Date of Compilation
Date of Last Update
Date of Origination
Date Range Qualifier
Departure (Place)
Description
Description Type
Destination
Dimension
Dimension Measurement Unit
Dimension Value
Directions
Display Date
E
Educational Level
End Date
Entry Type
Environmental Condition Note
Evidence
External Information System
External Information System Primary Reference Number
G
Geopolitical Area Name
Geopolitical Area Type
Grid Reference
H
Height Above Ordnance Datum
Height Below Ordnance Datum
Heritage Asset Name
Historical Event Type
I
Information Source Title
Inscription Content
Inscription Note
Internal Cross Reference Number
L
Language
Locality
M
Maintenance Plan
Management Activity Method
Management Activity Type
Management Proposal Outcome
Management Proposal Recommendation
Management Proposal Type
Management Proposal Work Proposed
Manner of Loss
Map Sheet
Material
Material Component
Material Component Note
Material Name
Modification State
Monument Type
N
Named Location
Narrative Text
Nationality
Notification Date
Number in Road or Street
O
Occupancy
Occupation
Organisation Name
P
People Name
Period (Name)
Person Name
Positional Accuracy
Post Code
Potential (Key Item Flag)
Potential (Note)
Precision
Primary Reference Number
Primary Reference Number Relation
Primary Reference Number Type
Prime Motive Power
Production Method
Production Technique
Production End Date
Protection Grade
Protection Start Date
Protection Type
Q
Quality
R
Recovery Method
Recovery Purpose
Registration Place
Representation Source
Right Note
Right Type
Road or Street Name
Role
S
Scientific Date
Scientific Date Method
Spatial Feature Type
Start Date
Statement of Responsibility
Statement of Significance
Statutory Description
Statutory Name
Storage Location
Subject
V
Value Statement
Value Type
Vulnerability Level
W
Work Status
X
X Coordinate
Y
Y Coordinate
Z
Z Coordinate