Advanced Search

Any simple keyword search will automatically return thumbnail images and record results. Scroll up from these results to see the Terms and Filters tabs in Advanced Search. You can also access Terms and Filters through the Search menu on the database homepage by clicking on the Advanced Search menu item. The screen you will reach presents two tabs, which are labeled Terms and filters.

The Terms screen enables you to search any number of terms within the Index field(s) of your choice, this may include your initial keyword search on the database homepage. These fields can be chosen from the in the scrollable box to the right of the search line.

The choice of Match Type will also affect the kinds of results that appear in the display:

• DEFAULT is the preferred Match Type for any Advanced Search in the database. This feature subjectively determines and ranks the records in the display of search results according to their correspondence to the search term that you have typed.
• If you use EXACT as a Match Type, the database will search ONLY within the chosen field(s) in accordance with the precise spelling, formatting, and order in which you have typed your term on the search line. For example, if you type Abbo of Orléanais, your search results will only display records that contain Abbo of Orléanais in that particular order, spelling and formatting, including diacritical marks.
• By using FULLTEXT as your Match Type, you are allowing the database to search for any configuration of the terms, letters, or numbers that you have typed on the search line within the text of any chosen field. This is particularly useful if you have a manuscript number in a format slightly different from what has been catalogued in the Index database. For example, the manuscript number for the Godescalc Gospel Lectionary is listed in various forms, such as Paris, BNF. lat.1203 or Ms. nouv. acq. lat. 1203. The Index has catalogued it as N.Acq.lat.1203. Therefore, if you type in any of these versions and click FULLTEXT as your Match Type, the search results will display the records for this manuscript because they all contain the same configuration of the numbers: 12031.

The Filters screen enables you to use specific Index headings in conjunction with a keyword search.

These filters include:

• Date Range – A slider tool that allows the researcher to create chronological parameters in an Advanced Search.
• Creator –The known artists and scribes associated with the creation of a work of art.
• Language – Any and all languages appearing on the work of art described in the Work of Art record.
• Location – All locations associated with a Work of Art record, including current location and location of origin.
• Medium – The materials that comprise the work of art described in the Work of Art record, as well as the techniques that went into its creation.
• Patron – The names of individuals or communities who commissioned or supplied support for the creation of a manuscript, monument, or object.
• Subject – The iconographic headings associated with each Work of Art record.
• Style/Culture – The style or culture associated with the work of art described in the record.
• Work of Art Type – The identificatory term that classifies the work of art according to its category as an object or type.

For each filter, try typing the term that you are looking for. If it exists in the database, our system will auto-complete the term. You can always add more than one term to any filter. Select as many terms as you desire and then click Search. Your filtered results will appear below.

Two options in our Filters feature may be useful in a search: MATCH ALL FILTERS and MATCH ANY FILTER.

• If you want to find works of art that contain all terms that you apply to the filters, have the Filter Options set to MATCH ALL FILTERS.
• If, however, you want to search for works of art that include any of the terms that you applied to your filtered search, have the Filter Options set to MATCH ANY FILTERS.

Using Both Advanced Search Tabs: Filters and Terms

Using Filters and Terms concurrently may provide the most precise results from your search query. Do this by entering a general search term and then refining your search results through our filters feature.

First, enter a keyword in the search input box labeled Search Expression in the Terms tab and click the boxes next to the fields that you wish to search. Next, refine the search results that appear by switching to the Filters tab and entering auto-complete headings to obtain more specific results.