The university professor who created the DigMaster database on the World Wide Web is Mississippi's Outstanding Humanist for 1996.
Paul F. Jacobs, head of Mississippi State's philosophy and religion department, was selected by the Mississippi Humanities Council and the university, co-sponsors of the annual honors program.
By utilizing web technology, DigMaster offers a database of electronically generated images and data on collections of ancient Persian archaeological figurines, as well as the Second Iron Age. The Internet address is http://www.cobb.msstate.edu/dig/index.html.
At present, there are two data sets of the 5,000-year-old objects from Israel-- one from digs at Tell Halif and one from Marcsha.
On Wednesday [Oct. 30], Jacobs will demonstrate the DigMaster project at a campus ceremony honoring his selection for the award. The public program begins at 1:30 p.m. in 27 Engineering Research Center. A reception will follow.
Jacobs received his doctorate from Union Theological Seminary. A member of the faculty since 1988, he has published extensively in the field of archaeology and biblical studies. He also was co-director of the Lahav Research Project at Tell Halif.
By clicking on a computer screen, students, scholars and others interested in Middle Eastern archaeology can use DigMaster to obtain detailed information in seconds. Because of the work by Jacobs and his assistants, researchers can obtain more comprehensive information much faster.