Epigraphy refers to the study of epigraphs or inscriptions. A person who is good at epigraphy is regarded as an epigraphist or epigrapher. Epigraphists have the responsibility of dating, reconstructing, and translating trilingual inscriptions. Historians are also tasked to interpret and determine events that are recorded as documents. Normally, history and epigraphy are practiced by a similar individual.
Ancient writings have their own unique meaning. Hence, for you to study the past, you need to know what these writings involve. The procedure of studying, analyzing, and determining ancient graphemes is referred to as epigraphy. Thus, it’s prudent to know that inscription is one of the branches in the archaeology field.
A Brief History
People have been practicing epigraphy for some time now. Different cultures across the world have been using it to serve and meet their needs. Initially, European epigraphers, including Georg Fabricius, used Latin documents. Despite the Prussian wars in 1863, these documents used to be printed in Berlin. The same year, Greek writings were also published in Berlin, but under a different title. Other publications, which have been published and studied, include the following:
- Persian writings
- Roman writings
- Egyptian writings
Types of Epigraphy
Historical materials can be found in various forms. For this reason, epigraphers need to use several techniques to analyze and handle them. Such materials may be in the form of marble surfaces, wood, and stone tablets. The methods employed need to be perfect enough to deal with different challenges. For instance, limestone lacks a soft surface. Thus, it is challenging to determine epigraphs that are written on the stone. However, clay inscriptions are simple to decrypt. This is because the epigraphs were structured when clay material was soft.
Tools such as chisel are used to come up with writings on metal, wood, and stone surfaces. Hammers are also used during the process of chiselling, especially when an epigrapher is dealing with hard surfaces. The effort that was put to make inscriptions portrays how professional epigraphers were.
The Purpose of Inscription
Mostly, rulers of ancient times used epigraphs to record verdicts and laws. In ancient Greece, people were placed at Acropolis, where Greek citizens could read the essential decrees. Information about gambling and the government’s industry were included there. Some epigraphers who are fascinated with gambling have written about poker and other games on stone or wood surfaces. Who could have ever thought that poker can be dated back in the Minoan civilization? Well, gambling has always been important for Greeks since time immemorial. Nowadays, you can Play poker with Unibet and learn more details on the same site. However, you can still visit Unibet and learn about other games, such as the following:
- Roulette
- Baccarat
- Dice
Moreover, Greek temples used epigraphs to record monetary matters, such as loan payments, sold properties, and gifts by religious leaders. In addition to that, rituals were recorded to guide believers to use the right procedures. Therefore, inscription helps people to gain more knowledge about ancient things, including casino games, such as poker.
The Bottom Line
Based on these details, inscriptions are essential. They help people to learn about ancient things that were recorded many years ago. Epigraphers put writings on various surfaces to ensure they are used in the future. For instance, if you want to learn about poker, you need to read the writings that talk about it. With this, you can learn about the game and its origin.