Representations of Writing Materials on Roman Funerary Monuments

Text, Image, Message

Tibor Grüll

• Publisher: Archaeopress Archaeology
• Year: 2023
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9781803275673
• Subtopic: Archaeology
• Index: History

Ancient funerary reliefs are full of representations of writing materials and instruments, the interpretation of which can help us better understand the phenomenon of ancient literacy. The eight studies in this volume were delivered as lectures at an online conference organized by the Department of Ancient History at the University of Pécs in October 2021. The comprehensive introductory study (N. Agócs, T. Grüll, J. Jusztinger, E. Szabó) is followed by two thematic studies on depictions of the Muses (E. A. Meyer) and the role of women in written culture (J. Luginbühl). Two studies address writing materials: the well-known and widespread writing tablets (B. Hartmann), and the less-known bone spatulae which nevertheless also occur frequently (A. Willi). Finally, three studies deal with depictions of writing instruments and materials in certain regions of the Roman Empire: at Palmyra (?. Soko?owski), in the two Moesiae (S. Pilipovi?) and in Phrygia (T. Grüll). Each of the studies enriches our knowledge of Roman writing with many new aspects and many detailed observations.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents Page
• List of Figures and Tables
• Foreword by the editor
• Representations of writing tools and materials on Roman funerary monuments
• Clio and Calliope: Why Diptych and Scroll?`
• Educated by the nine Muses?
• Tablet in Hand. Tabulae as markers of professional and social identity of Roman scribae
• Representations of writing tools and materials on Phrygian door stelae
• Broadening the view on literacy in Palmyra. Ten years after the first attempt
• The scroll and codex on funerary steles in the Upper Moesian Limes
• Depictions of bone ‘spatulate’ strips and a few thoughts about their function