epigraphy

epigraphy
   The study of inscriptions - written words or messages cut or scratched into stone, metal, or other durable materials. Much of the information that scholars have collected about ancient Mesopotamia has come from inscriptions. The earliest Mes-opotamian inscriptions were pictograms, simple drawings of objects, plants, or animals, which were inscribed on chips of clay as early as 9000 b.c., about eleven thousand years ago. At some undetermined date, people started to string the picto-grams together on clay tablets in an effort to express ideas and messages. By about 3400 b.c. in Sumeria, the pictograms had begun to give way to wedge-shaped cuneiform characters. Cuneiform inscriptions on tablets and cylinder seals, as well as inscriptions in alphabetic scripts and carved bas-reliefs of people, animals, ships, and battles on tablets, seals, walls, rocks, and so on, continued to be used throughout Mesopotamia for the rest of antiquity. one of the most imposing and famous of all the Mesopotamian inscriptions are those carved by Persia's King Darius I on the Behistun Rock, east of Babylon. It features a huge carved scene showing the king and a group of captured enemies and a long message displayed in three different Mesopotamian languages. one of these languages was deciphered in the 1830s and the 1840s by pioneering Assyriologist Henry C. Rawlinson.

Ancient Mesopotamia dictioary. . 2015.

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  • Epigraphy — (ἐπιγραφολογία, from Greek ἐπιγραφή inscription ) is the study of inscriptions or epigraphs engraved into stone or other durable materials, or cast in metal, the science of classifying them as to cultural context and date, elucidating them and… …   Wikipedia

  • Epigraphy — E*pig ra*phy, n. The science of inscriptions; the art of engraving inscriptions or of deciphering them. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • epigraphy — [ē pig′rə fē, ipig′rə fē] n. 1. inscriptions collectively 2. the study that deals with deciphering, interpreting, and classifying inscriptions, esp. ancient inscriptions …   English World dictionary

  • epigraphy — epigraphist, epigrapher, n. /i pig reuh fee/, n. 1. the study or science of epigraphs or inscriptions, esp. of ancient inscriptions. 2. inscriptions collectively. [1850 55; EPIGRAPH + Y3] * * * ▪ historiography Introduction  the study of written… …   Universalium

  • epigraphy — noun Date: 1851 1. epigraphs, inscriptions 2. the study of inscriptions; especially the deciphering of ancient inscriptions …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • epigraphy — noun a) inscriptions collectively b) the study or decipherment of inscriptions, especially of ancient ones See Also: epigraph, epigrapher, epigraphist …   Wiktionary

  • epigraphy — The study of inscriptions on ancient buildings and statues, many of which are relevant to the NT. After discovery, they are deciphered and then related to the history of the period. For example, that officials at Thessalonica were called… …   Dictionary of the Bible

  • epigraphy — n. study of epigraphs, study of inscriptions (especially ancient inscriptions) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • epigraphy — [ɪ pɪgrəfi, ɛ ] noun the study and interpretation of ancient inscriptions. Derivatives epigrapher noun epigraphic adjective epigraphical adjective epigraphically adverb epigraphist …   English new terms dictionary

  • epigraphy — epig·ra·phy …   English syllables

  • epigraphy — e•pig•ra•phy [[t]ɪˈpɪg rə fi[/t]] n. 1) the study of epigraphs or inscriptions, esp. ancient inscriptions 2) inscriptions collectively • Etymology: 1850–55 e•pig′ra•phist, e•pig′ra•pher, n …   From formal English to slang

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