TC 46 SC 4 has published ISO 21127:2023 Information and Documentation — A Reference Ontology for the Interchange of Cultural Heritage Information. This standard provides a curated and factual understanding of human-scale historical knowledge, facilitating the exchange and integration of diverse scientific and scholarly documentation concerning the past.
ISO 21127:2023 offers a comprehensive definition that outlines both the broad principles applicable to various contexts and the practical aspects defined by a growing reference set of specific documentation standards and practices. These definitions are tailored to fit the intended scope while adhering to the document's limitations.
The practical scope of this ISO 21127:2023 standard is described in terms of reference standards and widely accepted practices for documenting factual knowledge. The document encompasses the same field of discourse as these reference standards, ensuring that data encoded using these formats aligns with ISO 21127-compatible expressions, conveying consistent meaning. This publication marks a significant step in harmonizing cultural heritage information interchange and enhancing the semantic description of historical data.