Aims

Students should be able to identify different types of Greek and Latin writing on a variety of different writing materials including stone, wax tablets, ostraka (pot sherds), papyrus, parchment and paper. They should also be able to read simple documents viewed in class.

Main themes

This course introduces students to:
- The different writing materials and writing techniques used in ancient times, examining their chronological and geographical development (wax tablets, inscription, papyrus, parchment, paper, etc) ;
- Greek and Latin writing, considered in its development from the earliest days of writing up to the days of printing ;
- The writing systems of several ancient and modern oriental languages, e.g. Egyptian hieroglyphics, cuneiform, Arabic and Chinese writing (this part of the course relies on collaboration with students and colleagues in the Oriental Studies program).

Content and teaching methods

Basic notions : place of the writing in the human story; materials and tools of writing.
Presentation of some major writings of the Antique and Medieval world : scripts of Egypt; cuneiforms; Greek syllabaries; Greek, Etruscan, Latin, Hebrew, Arabic alphabets.
Presentation of Greek and Latin paleographies; of Greek and Latin epigraphies.
Exercices of reading and writing.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Course entry requirements: sufficient knowledge of Latin and/or Greek.
Evaluation: oral.
Course material: a number of different books on the history of writing will be recommended. Photos and documents will also be given out during the course.

Other credits in programs