Book
Open Access
The Ancient World Revisited: Material Dimensions of Written Artefacts
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Edited by:
Marilina Betrò
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In collaboration with:
Jesper Eidem
Language:
English
Published/Copyright:
2024
About this book
Open Access
Written artefacts are traditionally studied because of their content. Material aspects of these artefacts enrich the study of ancient history in many ways. Eleven case studies in five sections on the ancient world, including the Near East, Egypt, the Mediterranean, China and India, demonstrate the impact of a holistic approach that considers materiality and content alike.
Following an introductory sketch of relevant research, the first section, ‘Methodological Considerations’, critically examines the limitations the evidence available imposes on our understanding. ‘Early Uses of Writing’ addresses material and spatial aspects of inscriptions, and their communicative functions over the textual ones. The third section, ‘Material Features’, deals with clay, wooden and papyrus manuscripts and demonstrates the importance of an integrated approach. The contributions to ‘Co-presence of Written Artefacts’ take into account that written artefacts come in clusters. The final section, ‘Cultural Encounters’, presents studies on the interactions between social strata and ethnic groups, challenging previous ideas.
The volume contributes to the comparative study of written artefacts in ancient history, stimulating cross-disciplinary and -cultural research.
Following an introductory sketch of relevant research, the first section, ‘Methodological Considerations’, critically examines the limitations the evidence available imposes on our understanding. ‘Early Uses of Writing’ addresses material and spatial aspects of inscriptions, and their communicative functions over the textual ones. The third section, ‘Material Features’, deals with clay, wooden and papyrus manuscripts and demonstrates the importance of an integrated approach. The contributions to ‘Co-presence of Written Artefacts’ take into account that written artefacts come in clusters. The final section, ‘Cultural Encounters’, presents studies on the interactions between social strata and ethnic groups, challenging previous ideas.
The volume contributes to the comparative study of written artefacts in ancient history, stimulating cross-disciplinary and -cultural research.
Author / Editor information
Marilina Betrò, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; Michael Friedrich, CSMC, University of Hamburg; Cécile Michel, CNRS ArScAn-HAROC, Nanterre, France und CSMC, University of Hamburg.
Topics
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Frontmatter
I -
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Contents
V -
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Introduction: Towards a Holistic Study of Written Artefacts in Ancient History
1 - Methodological Considerations
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Some Mesopotamian Challenges: A History Based on Tablets Unevenly Distributed in Time and Space
31 -
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Epigraphy, Archaeology, and our Understanding of the Mycenaean World
49 - Early Uses of Writing
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Material, Spatial, and Social Contexts of Early Writing: Egypt and China
71 -
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Aśoka and the Use of Writing in Ancient India
129 - Material Features
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Writing on Wood in Hittite Anatolia
165 -
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The Mittanian Cuneiform Documents: The Interplay between Content, Language, Material, Format, and Sealing Practices
207 -
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Some Turin Papyri Revisited: A Look at Material Features and Scribal Practices
221 - Co-presence of Written Artefacts
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Experiencing Inscriptions in Space: Extended Inscriptions of the Early New Kingdom (Qenamun – Useramun – Rekhmire)
243 -
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The Scholar in His House: Scribal Material in Context in Late Uruk Private Houses
281 - Cultural Encounters
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Bakhtin, Gramsci, and the Materiality of the Egyptian Hieroglyphs: When the ‘Official’ Culture Leaks into the ‘Folk’ Domain
307 -
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The ‘He’ Tribe from Serabit el Khadim and the Invention of Alphabetic Writing: Can the Subaltern … Write?
345 -
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Contributors
369 -
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General Index
371
Publishing information
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook published on:
March 4, 2024
eBook ISBN:
9783111360805
Hardcover published on:
March 4, 2024
Hardcover ISBN:
9783111359021
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
Front matter:
6
Main content:
379
Illustrations:
55
Coloured Illustrations:
56
Tables:
5
Audience(s) for this book
Scholars of ancient history, art history, Assyriology, Egyptology, epigraphy, Indology, manuscriptology and sinology
Creative Commons
BY-NC-ND 4.0
Safety & product resources
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Manufacturer information:
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Genthiner Straße 13
10785 Berlin
productsafety@degruyterbrill.com
