Welcome
How to Track A Bear in Southwark is an Omeka-based learning module focused on the transmission of documents about the Bear Garden in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century London: a venue for bear- and bull-baiting, as well as theatrical entertainments.
How to Track A Bear in Southwark uses archival material from the Early Modern London Theatres (EMLoT) database to train undergraduate students in the rudiments of historical and bibliographical research. The core function of the database is to track the transmission of documents produced prior to 1642 through transcriptions in later texts. Exploring this relationship between primary and secondary sources provides illuminating access to the process of bibliographic transcription, archival methodologies, textual preservation, and the formation of historical canon.
As a showcase of select EMLoT content, the 'How to Track a Bear in Southwark' collections are made up of Omeka items that correspond directly to EMLoT database records.
The Omeka format allows for the integration of additional media, and some corresponding manuscript transcriptions and images have been contributed in advance of publication from the REED edition for Surrey including Southwark.
Students have the opportunity to use scholarly research material on the history of Early Modern English theatre while building their own historical scholarly narratives in a digital environment.
Using this site, students will be able to:
- Read, browse, and search existing records
- Add new records, both from EMLOT database and from other online archives
- Build digital exhibits, following existing thematic pathways or curating material to explore their own thematic interests
Welcome to Trackabear! To learn more about the site, take a look at the videos and resources on our Help page.
Bearbaiting Woodcut: Folger Shakespeare Library, Digital Image Collection, William Lily (1468-1522), Antibossicon, London.