For historians, archaeologists, epigraphers and curators
Help us get the record right
These are the places, people and dates where our sources disagree or run out. Find the questions in your field, confirm or correct them with citations, and be credited by name when an editor publishes your contribution.
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4,418 questions
- High priorityDisputed locationEditors' questionHistorical geographyPlaceSouth Asia
Aornos330 BCE
Where is the Rock of Aornos taken by Alexander in 326 BCE? Aurel Stein identified it with Pir-Sar (1926); others propose Mount Ilam or Una-Sar. Which site should the atlas show, and should it carry an "identification disputed" label?
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about the map location
- High priorityDisputed locationEditors' questionHistorical geographyPlaceCentral Asia
Cyropolis/Kyra330 BCE
Where was Cyropolis (Kyra, besieged by Alexander in 329 BCE)? Pleiades 59781 places it near Istaravshan (Ura-Tyube), DARE about 34 km away, and one Wikidata point in northern Afghanistan. Which identification does current scholarship prefer, and with what certainty?
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about the map location
- High priorityDisputed datesEditors' questionArchaeologyOpen questionMiddle East and North Africa
What caused the Late Bronze Age Collapse?
Open question 'What caused the Late Bronze Age Collapse?' (currently contested). HistoryTrack lists these hypotheses with editorial confidence figures: (1) No single cause was responsible; a 'systems collapse' occurred when interlocking shocks (drought, earthquakes, raids, internal revolt, trade disruption) overwhelmed a highly interdependent network of states. [62%]; (2) A prolonged, severe drought (roughly 1250-1100 BCE) caused crop failure and famine that was the primary driver of collapse. [45%]; (3) Invasion and raiding by the 'Sea Peoples' was the decisive external agent of destruction. [20%]. Please (1) say whether the framing and the list of hypotheses are fair to current literature, (2) correct or replace the confidence figures (or tell us to drop them), and (3) give 1-3 citable publications for each hypothesis and its evidence for/against.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about the competing hypotheses and their sources
- High priorityDisputed datesEditors' questionPrehistoric archaeology and chronologyOpen questionEurope
When did Thera erupt?
Open question 'When did Thera erupt?' (currently narrowing). HistoryTrack lists these hypotheses with editorial confidence figures: (1) The eruption occurred in the late 17th to earliest 16th century BCE (roughly 1620-1600 BCE), as radiocarbon evidence indicates. [52%]; (2) The eruption occurred around 1530-1500 BCE, consistent with Egyptian and Aegean archaeological synchronisms. [42%]. Please (1) say whether the framing and the list of hypotheses are fair to current literature, (2) correct or replace the confidence figures (or tell us to drop them), and (3) give 1-3 citable publications for each hypothesis and its evidence for/against.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about the competing hypotheses and their sources
- High priorityDisputed datesEditors' questionHistorical linguisticsOpen questionEurope
Where was the Indo-European homeland?
Open question 'Where was the Indo-European homeland?' (currently narrowing). HistoryTrack lists these hypotheses with editorial confidence figures: (1) The core spread was from Pontic-Caspian steppe pastoralists (Yamnaya) in the 4th-3rd millennium BCE, with Anatolian branching earlier from a common 'Indo-Anatolian' population in the North Caucasus / lower-Volga region. [75%]; (2) Indo-European spread from Anatolia with the expansion of farming in the Neolithic (the 'Anatolian farming' hypothesis), a much older and more southerly origin. [15%]. Please (1) say whether the framing and the list of hypotheses are fair to current literature, (2) correct or replace the confidence figures (or tell us to drop them), and (3) give 1-3 citable publications for each hypothesis and its evidence for/against.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about the competing hypotheses and their sources
- High priorityEditors' questionEpigraphy and ancient scriptsToponymEurope
a-ma-ru-to (Amarynthos (Euboea))1450–1180 BCE
Linear B a-ma-ru-to (TH Of 25.2 (a-ma-ru-to-de)). HistoryTrack shows the reading and the identification 'Amarynthos (Euboea)' (a proposed identification). Please confirm or correct (1) the reading of the sign groups on these tablets, (2) the identification and its certainty, (3) the map point, and (4) whether New Documents in Mycenaean Greek (Killen, 2024) or later work changes it.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about a tablet reading and the place it names
- High priorityEditors' questionEpigraphy and ancient scriptsToponym
a-pu2-we (Iklaina (proposed))1450–1180 BCE
Linear B a-pu2-we (PY Vn 20.7, Cn 608.7, Jn 829.8). HistoryTrack shows the reading and the identification 'Iklaina (proposed)' (a proposed identification). Please confirm or correct (1) the reading of the sign groups on these tablets, (2) the identification and its certainty, (3) the map point, and (4) whether New Documents in Mycenaean Greek (Killen, 2024) or later work changes it.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about a tablet reading and the place it names
- High priorityEditors' questionEpigraphy and ancient scriptsToponymEurope
e-u-te-re-u (Eutresis (Boeotia))1450–1180 BCE
Linear B e-u-te-re-u (TH Ft 140). HistoryTrack shows the reading and the identification 'Eutresis (Boeotia)' (a proposed identification). Please confirm or correct (1) the reading of the sign groups on these tablets, (2) the identification and its certainty, (3) the map point, and (4) whether New Documents in Mycenaean Greek (Killen, 2024) or later work changes it.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about a tablet reading and the place it names
- High priorityEditors' questionEpigraphy and ancient scriptsToponym
ka-ra-do-ro (Phoinikous (Analipsis) proposed)1450–1180 BCE
Linear B ka-ra-do-ro (PY Vn 20, Cn 608.10, Jn 829.11). HistoryTrack shows the reading and the identification 'Phoinikous (Analipsis) proposed' (a proposed identification). Please confirm or correct (1) the reading of the sign groups on these tablets, (2) the identification and its certainty, (3) the map point, and (4) whether New Documents in Mycenaean Greek (Killen, 2024) or later work changes it.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about a tablet reading and the place it names
- High priorityEditors' questionArchaeologyArchaeological cultureEurope
Old Bering Sea500 BCE – 500 CE
Where should the Old Bering Sea culture be shown, and in which region? It is filed under Europe, its only point is on the Chukotka coast (66.0 N, 170.1 W), and its sites lie on both sides of the Bering Strait (Chukotka, St Lawrence Island, western Alaska). Should it be placed in North America, in Siberia (Central Asia in our regions), or drawn across both?
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about the region
- High priorityEditors' questionEpigraphy and ancient scriptsToponym
pa-ki-ja-ne (Cult centre of the Pylian kingdom (site not identified))1450–1180 BCE
Linear B pa-ki-ja-ne (PY Vn 19.4, Xa 113.1, Fn 187.4 (pa-ki-ja-na-de)). HistoryTrack shows the reading and the identification 'Cult centre of the Pylian kingdom (site not identified)' (a proposed identification). Please confirm or correct (1) the reading of the sign groups on these tablets, (2) the identification and its certainty, (3) the map point, and (4) whether New Documents in Mycenaean Greek (Killen, 2024) or later work changes it.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about a tablet reading and the place it names
- High priorityEditors' questionEpigraphy and ancient scriptsToponymEurope
re-u-ko-to-ro (Leuktron (site disputed; Aithaia: Ellinika among proposals))1450–1180 BCE
Linear B re-u-ko-to-ro (PY Ad 290, An 35.3, Ma 225). HistoryTrack shows the reading and the identification 'Leuktron (site disputed; Aithaia: Ellinika among proposals)' (a proposed identification). Please confirm or correct (1) the reading of the sign groups on these tablets, (2) the identification and its certainty, (3) the map point, and (4) whether New Documents in Mycenaean Greek (Killen, 2024) or later work changes it.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about a tablet reading and the place it names
- High priorityEditors' questionEpigraphy and ancient scriptsToponymEurope
ri-jo (Rhion (SW tip of Messenia, Koroni area proposed))1450–1180 BCE
Linear B ri-jo (PY Vn 20.11 (ri-jo-de), Cn 608, Jn 829). HistoryTrack shows the reading and the identification 'Rhion (SW tip of Messenia, Koroni area proposed)' (a proposed identification). Please confirm or correct (1) the reading of the sign groups on these tablets, (2) the identification and its certainty, (3) the map point, and (4) whether New Documents in Mycenaean Greek (Killen, 2024) or later work changes it.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about a tablet reading and the place it names
- High priorityEditors' questionEpigraphy and ancient scriptsToponym
ro-u-so1450–1180 BCE
Linear B ro-u-so (PY Aa 717, Cn 285.1, Jn 829.10, Vn 130.12). HistoryTrack shows the reading and the identification 'no identification' (currently unresolved). Please confirm or correct (1) the reading of the sign groups on these tablets, (2) the identification and its certainty, (3) the map point, and (4) whether New Documents in Mycenaean Greek (Killen, 2024) or later work changes it.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about a tablet reading and the place it names
- High priorityEditors' questionEpigraphy and ancient scriptsToponymEurope
ti-mi-to-a-ke-e (Further Province district centre; Nichoria proposed)1450–1180 BCE
Linear B ti-mi-to-a-ke-e (PY Cn 600, Jn 829.13, Ma 123.1). HistoryTrack shows the reading and the identification 'Further Province district centre; Nichoria proposed' (a proposed identification). Please confirm or correct (1) the reading of the sign groups on these tablets, (2) the identification and its certainty, (3) the map point, and (4) whether New Documents in Mycenaean Greek (Killen, 2024) or later work changes it.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about a tablet reading and the place it names
- High priorityEditors' questionEpigraphy and ancient scriptsOpen questionEurope
What language does Linear A record?
Open question 'What language does Linear A record?'. HistoryTrack lists these hypotheses with editorial confidence figures: (1) Linear A records 'Minoan', a pre-Greek language not securely tied to any known family, and remains undeciphered largely because that language is unknown. [55%]; (2) The underlying language is Anatolian (Luwian-like) or otherwise Indo-European. [15%]; (3) The underlying language is Semitic (or has a strong Semitic component). [12%]. Please (1) say whether the framing and the list of hypotheses are fair to current literature, (2) correct or replace the confidence figures (or tell us to drop them), and (3) give 1-3 citable publications for each hypothesis and its evidence for/against.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about the competing hypotheses and their sources
- High priorityEditors' questionArchaeologyOpen questionMiddle East and North Africa
What was Göbekli Tepe for?
Open question 'What was Göbekli Tepe for?' (currently narrowing). HistoryTrack lists these hypotheses with editorial confidence figures: (1) The enclosures were special ritual/communal buildings embedded within a broader inhabited settlement, so sacred and domestic life were entangled rather than separate. [60%]; (2) The site was primarily a hilltop sanctuary built and visited by hunter-gatherer groups who lived elsewhere (the original 'temple' interpretation). [30%]. Please (1) say whether the framing and the list of hypotheses are fair to current literature, (2) correct or replace the confidence figures (or tell us to drop them), and (3) give 1-3 citable publications for each hypothesis and its evidence for/against.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about the competing hypotheses and their sources
- High priorityEditors' questionArchaeologyOpen questionMiddle East and North Africa
Who were the Sea Peoples?
Open question 'Who were the Sea Peoples?' (currently contested). HistoryTrack lists these hypotheses with editorial confidence figures: (1) They were not one people but a heterogeneous coalition of displaced groups from several regions (Aegean, western Anatolia, central Mediterranean) set in motion by the broader collapse. [60%]; (2) The core groups were Aegean, principally Mycenaean Greeks displaced by the fall of the palace system. [45%]; (3) Some contingents originated in western/central Anatolia or the central Mediterranean (e.g. Sherden linked to Sardinia, Shekelesh to Sicily). [25%]. Please (1) say whether the framing and the list of hypotheses are fair to current literature, (2) correct or replace the confidence figures (or tell us to drop them), and (3) give 1-3 citable publications for each hypothesis and its evidence for/against.
Why a specialist: Question from our editors about the competing hypotheses and their sources
- High priorityDisputed datesRulers and regnal chronologyPersonCentral Asia
'Abd al-Ahad Khan1859–1910 CE
Did 'Abd al-Ahad Khan hold this office, and when?
Why a specialist: Held ruler: reign dates impossible (before birth or after death)
- High priorityDisputed datesBiography and prosopographyPersonMiddle East and North Africa
Abraham Zacuto1515 CE
What dating does the evidence support for Abraham Zacuto?
Why a specialist: Recorded date conflicts with the published dating, withheld until settled
- High priorityDisputed datesBiography and prosopographyPersonMiddle East and North Africa
Abu Abdallah al-Qaim1457–1517 CE
Is the record for Abu Abdallah al-Qaim correct?
Why a specialist: Spot-check found sources in conflict
- High priorityDisputed datesRulers and regnal chronologyReignMiddle East and North Africa
Abu Muhammad Abdullah I, sultan1399–1402 CE
Did Abu Muhammad Abdullah I, sultan hold this office, and when?
Why a specialist: Held reign: dates impossible for this ruler
- High priorityDisputed datesRulers and regnal chronologyPersonMiddle East and North Africa
Adad-nirari I1400–1274 BCE
Did Adad-nirari I hold this office, and when?
Why a specialist: Held ruler: reign dates impossible (before birth or after death)
- High priorityDisputed datesRulers and regnal chronologyReignSouth America
Adolfo Ballivián, president of Bolivia1873–1875 CE
Did Adolfo Ballivián, president of Bolivia hold this office, and when?
Why a specialist: Held reign: dates impossible for this ruler