ancient text
Papyrus from antiquity
An ancient text is a written work from a long-ago civilization—typically documents, manuscripts, or inscriptions from antiquity: Scholars study ancient texts to understand how people lived thousands of years ago.
The phrase often carries connotations of wisdom, mystery, or authority: The ancient texts spoke of a great flood.
Religious scriptures, philosophical treatises, and historical records all qualify when old enough.
- scriptureSacred religious writings
- sacred writingsReligious canonical texts
- scrollWound document of parchment
- annalsYear-by-year historical account
- codexAncient bound manuscript
stele · chronicle · tablet · clay tablet · vellum · compendium · cuneiform · runes · syllabary · lost language · parchment · palimpsest · fragment · manuscript · papyrus · Septuagint · treatise · glyph
- historical mediadocumentary, newsreel, archival footage, vintage radio, silent film
- literary artifactsilluminated manuscript, first edition, rare book, Dead Sea Scrolls, Gutenberg Bible
- manuscriptscodex, codices, folio, folios, papyri
- treasuresjewels, gems, gold coins, crown jewel, artifacts
- written documentsnewspaper, diary, journal, manuscript, scroll
- lost thingslost keys, lost wallet, lost phone, lost luggage, lost passport
ancient textcontemporary writing
Recently produced text
breaking news · modern novel · hot off the press · yesterday's news
ancient textdigital document
e-book · web page · online article · hypertext · blog post
ancient textephemera
Disposables preserved as collectibles
junk mail · spam · viral tweet · clickbait · pulp fiction