Sources, evidence and uncertainty
The atlas contains explanations, proposed connections and source records. Their labels tell you how each item has been handled. They don't replace reading the evidence.
An entry's depth
Developed entry means a fuller account with distinctions, history, uses, limits and sources. Brief entry provides a shorter orientation. These labels describe the work done here, not the importance of the subject.
A statement's status
Candidate or provisional means a proposed interpretation still needs checking. Accepted or corroborated means the current evidence supports the stated wording within its scope; it isn't a verdict on every broader claim. Disputed keeps a disagreement visible. Superseded records a statement replaced by a later account.
Automated validation checks structure and consistency. It doesn’t accept a historical claim on the curator's behalf.
What a source can establish
A title page can establish a book's author and title. A bibliography can establish that an author cited it. Neither alone proves that the book influenced a method or that the method works. Look for the precise page, section or passage attached to the statement.
'Public link' gives a route to the source, which may still have access restrictions. 'No public link' means an identifiable published work is cited without an open copy. A private email or internal document isn't made public by giving it that label.
Original maps and atlas connections
An earlier map may draw an influence line that the atlas hasn't independently checked. Its own wording and attribution stay with that source. Compare maps to notice different boundaries and possible connections; don't assume that importing a diagram verifies its history.
Referenced maps and histories · Principles for a revisable map
How to challenge an account
Point to the exact wording, offer evidence and explain whether it changes the meaning, scope or status. Competing interpretations can remain visible. You don't need to force agreement before making a useful correction.