epigraphy - Scope, History

The study of ancient inscriptions, variously inscribed on memorial stones, clay pots and tablets, marble, wood, wax, and other hard surfaces, and using a wide variety of techniques (eg carving, embossing, painting). The field provides insights into the early development of writing systems, as seen in the carvings on the Egyptian pyramids, the oracle bones from Shang China, and the memorial inscriptions on Ogam stones in the Celtic-speaking parts of the British Is.

Epigraphy (Greek, επιγραφή - "written upon") is the study of inscriptions or epigraphs engraved into stone or other permanent materials, or cast in metal, the science of classifying them as to cultural context and date, elucidating them and assessing what conclusions can be deduced from them.

Scope

Epigraphy is a primary tool of archaeology when dealing with literate cultures. Since epigraphy is a science of the particular, references to epigraphic evidence appear in most Wikipedia entries discussing aspects of Ancient history.

The character of the writing, the subject of epigraphy, is a matter quite separate from the nature of the text, which is studied in itself.

History

The science of epigraphy has been developing steadily since the 16th century. Principles of epigraphy vary culture by culture and the infant science in European hands concentrated on Latin inscriptions at first.

The Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, begun by Mommsen and other scholars, has been published in Berlin since 1863, with wartime interruptions. The Corpus is arranged geographically: all inscriptions from Rome are contained in volume 6. This volume has the greatest number of inscriptions; Specialists depend on such on-going series of volumes in which newly-discovered inscriptions are published, often in Latin, not unlike the biologists' Zoological Record— the raw material of history.

Greek epigraphy has unfolded in the hands of a different team, with different corpora. This marked a first attempt at a comprehensive publication of Greek inscriptions copied from all over the Greek-speaking world. The second, modern corpus is Inscriptiones Graecae arranged geographically under categories: decrees, catalogues, honorary titles, funeral inscriptions, various., all presented in Latin, to preserve the international neutrality of the field of classics.

Other such series include the Corpus Inscriptionum Etruscarum (Etruscan inscriptions), Corpus Inscriptionum Crucesignatorum Terrae Sanctae (Crusaders' inscriptions), Corpus Inscriptionum Insularum Celticarum, (Celtic inscriptions), Corpus Inscriptionum Iranicarum (Iranian inscriptions) and so forth.