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The introductory essays provide brief background on the column and discuss of some the issues this site may help to illuminate: Experiencing Trajan’s Column considers how the design and setting of the column contributed to its effect at the time of its creation. Carving Trajan’s Column discusses the process and techniques that actually produced the column and its decoration. This essay provides valuable information about tools, techniques, and preservation; it focuses on the same kinds of interests and issues that shaped the collection of images that make up the database.

The database includes over 500 images, accompanied by information on location, subject matter, and technical features (where relevant). These images are mainly slides taken by or for Peter Rockwell in 1980s. They do not represent a systematic photographic record of the entire column, or even of part of the column; rather they illustrate interesting features of sculptural design or technique. Accordingly, a majority of the images are details, but there are some larger views as well.

The indices are an excellent starting point for those new to the site. They include all of the keywords for subject matter and for technical features (including tools and tool marks), as well as other features, such as scene numbers (by the conventional numbering scheme of K. Lehmann-Hartleben).

The search engine allows searches of almost all fields of the database. This will be of use to those with more particular interests and questions (for keyword searches, the Indices will often be more convenient).

The McMaster Column of Trajan Project was made possible thanks to generous support from Peter Rockwell, the Togo Salmon Roman Studies Fund of McMaster University and the Humanities Media and Computing, McMaster University.