paleography
Deciphering old scripts
Paleography is the study of historical handwriting and manuscript traditions.
Scholars use paleography to decipher old documents, date manuscripts, and authenticate texts by analyzing letter forms, abbreviations, and writing materials.
The discipline is essential for historians, archivists, and anyone working with pre-print records: The paleography of medieval charters requires years of training.
Treated hide for manuscripts
- vellumPrepared calfskin for writing
- papyrusAncient plant-derived writing material
- codexAncient bound manuscript
- scrollWound document of parchment
quill · ink · inkhorn · folio · quire · gathering · binding · ruling
Rounded ancient letterform
- minusculeExtremely small in size
- majusculeUppercase letter form
- cursiveJoined handwriting style
- blackletterAngular medieval typeface style
Carolingian · Spencerian · insular · chancery · rotunda · humanist · gothic · copperplate
Monastery manuscript workshop
- monasteryReligious seclusion dwelling
- archiveStored historical records
- libraryBook collection or building
- chanceryEquity tribunal or archives
notary · scribe · copyist · illuminator · amanuensis · registers · diplomatic · chirography
Sudden brain blood blockage
- ascenderOne moving upward
- descenderLetter part below baseline
- serifLetter terminal flourish
- counterFlat service surface
bowl · stem · baseline · x-height · minim · hairline · lobe · finial
Written version of speech
- legibilityClearness of text
- abbreviationShortened word form
- ligatureCord for binding
- contractionReduction in size
suspension · lacuna · interlinear · marginalia · gloss · emendation · collation · archetype
parchment
Treated hide for manuscripts
- vellumPrepared calfskin for writing
- papyrusAncient plant-derived writing material
- codexAncient bound manuscript
scroll · quill · ink · inkhorn · folio · quire · gathering · binding · ruling · pricking
uncial
Rounded ancient letterform
blackletter · Carolingian · Spencerian · insular · chancery · rotunda · humanist · gothic · copperplate · kana
scriptorium
Monastery manuscript workshop
- monasteryReligious seclusion dwelling
- archiveStored historical records
- libraryBook collection or building
chancery · notary · scribe · copyist · illuminator · amanuensis · registers · diplomatic · chirography · epigraphy
stroke
Sudden brain blood blockage
counter · bowl · stem · baseline · x-height · minim · hairline · lobe · finial · crossbar
transcription
Written version of speech
- legibilityClearness of text
- abbreviationShortened word form
- ligatureCord for binding
contraction · suspension · lacuna · interlinear · marginalia · gloss · emendation · collation · archetype · facsimile
- historyancient civilizations, past events, historian, epochs, era
- disciplinesbiology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, psychology
- humanitiesphilosophy, history, literature, philosophy class, novels
- medievalknights, castles, cathedral, kings, queens
- Hebrewaleph, bet, Modern Hebrew, ancient Hebrew, Hebrew alphabet
- writing historyalphabet, cuneiform, hieroglyphics, hieroglyphs, scripts
paleographytypography
Arranging letters for display
typesetting · font design · printing · desktop publishing · printing technology
graphic, graph, geography, biography, autograph, photography, telegraph, calligraphy, choreography