Greek epigraphy [ LFIAL2180 ]

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Introduce the two most interesting groups of Greek scripts (Linear B syllabary and alphabet), basic facts of their history and their ability to write the Greek language. Make the students familiar with the reading of inscriptions on photographs or facsimiles, their edition and interpretation.

Provide a survey of a fascinating discipline: Greek epigraphy. Practice the two most important scripts of Ancient Greece (Linear B syllabary and alphabet) and learn the basic facts of their history. Become familiar with the reading of inscriptions on photographs or facsimiles, and able to edit and interpret them. Become aware of the problems of the adaptation of these scripts to the Greek language.

a) students who have not written an essay: oral examination on the whole subject matter of the course.
b) students who have written an essay: oral examination bearing on the 1st part of the course and evaluation of their essay.

This course will focus upon individual contact with the inscriptions: systematic reading of the images or facsimiles of the inscriptions; stamping exercises; writing Linear B texts on clay; etc.. The inscriptions chosen will illustrate the considerable variety of epigraphic documents: private and public texts, contracts, execration tablets, accounting texts, wills, laws, etc. Letters, illustrations and a basic bibliography of the questions studied will be made available. Students will have the option to compose an individual written piece on a question of their choice relating to Greek epigraphy.

Introduction to a major discipline for Ancient Greece. The two most interesting groups of Greek inscriptions will be studied : 1) the oldest ones, written in the Linear B syllabary (XIVth - XIIth centuries); 2) the alphabetic inscriptions (from the first quarter of the VIIIth century onwards). The lectures introduce to the basic methodological problems (edition, interpretation and datation of the incriptions; work-tools; bibliography). They include the history of the scripts in Greece (Linear B, creation of the alphabet, archaic and classic alphabets, relation between the Greek language and these scripts).

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Support: Maps, illustrations and basic bibliography of the questions studied will be available.