Property:position

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Property
Description:	Describes the location of the inscription on the object.
Type:	Text
Allows value:	top, bottom, medial, lateral, left, right, front, back, inside, outside, proximal, distal, handle, blade, tang, calotte, rim, neck, wall, shoulder, foot, unknown

Definition

We have tried to keep the numbers of possible values low, which does not only avoid confusion, but also allows the comparison of inscription positions on objects of similar types, e.g. on blades of knives, swords, spatulas. Some values are only useful for certain object types. The used values belong to two different levels:

1. Values for named parts of the object: handle, blade, tang, calotte, rim, neck, wall, shoulder, bottom, foot. For parts of vessels compare the following drawing:

2. Values of general position, which are only useable with objects with a natural or intuitively obvious orientation – generally, such objects are described as they were orientated during usage: rock walls, slabs (as they were put up), vessels (with the base down), articles of habiliment (as worn), horse bronzes, statuettes, bones, instruments. These values can be used on their own or in combination with a value of group 1, to specify the position, e.g. blade, lateral.

top	top or upper area
bottom	bottom or lower area
medial	central area
lateral	lateral area on symmetrical objects
left	left side or area
right	right side or area
front	front or face side, upper surface
back	back side, lower surface
inside	on vessels and helmets
outside	on vessels and helmets
proximal	on bones: the side closer to the rump; on instruments: the side closer to the hand; on bone points: the side closer to the butt end
distal	on bones: the side farther from the rump; on instruments: the side farther from the hand; on bone points: the side closer to the pointed end

Note that in some cases, the inscription itself may determine its own position, e.g. front = side with the inscription on it, on objects whose specific purpose was bearing the inscription (slabs, plaques).

Statistics

Number of pages in the Category:Inscription (319) per "position":

position	occurrence
front		92	28.84 %	show list
back		23	7.21 %	show list
top		6	1.88 %	show list
bottom		79	24.76 %	show list
inside		17	5.32 %	show list
outside		67	21.00 %	show list
neck		0	0.00 %	show list
shoulder		6	1.88 %	show list
foot		13	4.07 %	show list
handle		21	6.58 %	show list
rim		22	6.89 %	show list
tang		2	0.62 %	show list
unknown		15	4.70 %	show list
medial		7	2.19 %	show list
lateral		4	1.25 %	show list
left		12	3.76 %	show list
right		18	5.64 %	show list
proximal		2	0.62 %	show list
distal		0	0.00 %	show list
blade		0	0.00 %	show list
calotte		0	0.00 %	show list
wall		0	0.00 %	show list