Ancient Egypt: Epigraphy and Paleography

Pre-requisites: Elementary knowledge of ancient egyptian

Course objectives: Mastering basic principles of ancient egyptian epigraphy and paleography - a science that is pivotal to understanding written sources.

Course description: Subject, history and meaning of epigraphy and paleography as sciences. The most relevant epigraphic and paleographic inscriptions(similarities and differences). Relationship between epigraphy and paleography and other scientific disciplines(history, archeology,philology). Introduction to the main types of ancient egyptian inscriptions and papyrus documents and principles of publishing.

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge of basic principles of ancient egyptian epigraphy and paleography - a science that is pivotal to understanding written sources.

Literature/Reading:

• M. Collier, How to read Egyptian hieroglyphs, London 1999
• G. Möller, Hieratische Paläographie, Leipzig, 1927-36
• J. Allan, Middle Egyptian, Cambridge 2000
• A. Gardiner, Egyptian Grammar, Oxford 1976
• R. Caminos - H. Fischer, Ancient Egyptian Epigraphy and Palaeography, New York 1987