Ancient Writing - Epigraphy and Papyrology
Epigraphy - Inscriptions and Epitaphs
Continued From PapyrologyGarbage and graffiti are two of the best resources for the study of ancient writing. Of course the graffiti isn't spray painted and the garbage is really papyrus accidentally preserved through the dry climate of Egypt.
Epigraphy, which means writing on something, refers to writing on an enduring substance like stone. As such, it was impressed, inscribed, or chiseled rather than written with the stylus or reed pen applied to ordinarily decaying media like paper and papyrus. It wasn't only the social malcontents and love-lorn who inscribed their worldviews, but from such and from the administrative trivia found on papyrus documents, we have been able to learn much about daily life in antiquity.
Epigraphy
Reading knowledge of the relevant ancient language may not be enough to translate inscriptions. One problem is that abbreviations are ambiguous. Tom Elliot has created an alphabetical index on abbreviations Abbreviations in Latin Inscriptions, which you should probably keep open in a tab on your browser if you're working on inscriptions. Elliot explains that the abbreviation "IM" can be used in religious and civil purposes, in which IM can signify any of the following:I(nvicto) M(ithrae), i(ure) m(erito), im(aginifer), Im(eratore), Im(icius), im(mortalibus), im(munis), im(pendium), Im(perante), Im(perator), im(peratore), Im(peratori), im(perio), im(petum)
Someone trying to trace her roots rubbed the following from gravestones:
"Optimae Spei Adolescenti Francisco Charteris Junri, a Castro Hornby Armigero An Dom. 1751."One translation problem is to figure out what the abbreviations mean and "Mo" is not on Elliot's list. Another is that the passages are too short for context to clarify ambiguities. Only luck or someone with the necessary experience and background can make sense of such passages. Fortunately, Svato Schutzner was able to solve the puzzle."Mo Christophero Skirro & Mo Richardo Howson sacrorum curatoribus spectate Fidei & probitatis Laude insignibus An. Dom 1761."
Try it first, then look here for a solution.
In the Epigraphy Resources you'll find ancient abbreviations, photos of actual inscriptions, transliterations, and bibliographies.
Resources Related to Epigraphy
Next page > Writing on Ancient Egyptian Papyrus Reeds > Page 1, 2
Sources (Accessed February, 23, 1999):
Inscriptions often use abbreviations that are difficult to understand. This site provides two alphabetized lists: one of the most common and another of the entire set.
www.culture.gr/2/21/214/21402m/e21402m.html - Epigraphical Museum - Athens
Photographs of artifacts with inscriptions.
library.adelaide.edu.au/guide/hum/classics/subject/epi.html - Epigraphy, Paleography And Papyrology
A bibliography for the University of Adelaide, Australia.
users.ox.ac.uk/~csadinfo/Images.html - Imaging Inscriptions
An offshoot of the APIS papyrus project is this collaboration between Michigan and Duke. Inscriptions have their own problems for reproduction since they tend to be considerably larger and more unwieldy than papyrus.
www.cdromverlag.de:80/CGI-sd4/om_isapi.dll?clientID=6090&infobase=ilateyst.nfo&softpage=Browse_Frame_Pg - Inscriptiones Latinae Eystettenses
Large searchable collection of Latin inscriptions.
www.gnomon.ku-eichstaett.de/Gnomon/help/H_ILS.html -Instructions for using the database.
This feature is copyright © 1999-2006 N.S. Gill.
