This article discusses the possibility of a different approach to some paleographic issues with the help of some well-defined evidence from an Early Dynastic administrative archive from lower Mesopotamia. Our modern perception of the cuneiform artifacts and script is very distant from that of the ancient Mesopotamians. Following the work of the scribe(s) in the more technical aspects, I tried to position—wherever possible—the wedges in the original order, rebuilding the signs from the point of view of the writer himself. The wedges appear to be impressed in a non-conventional manner, suggesting a redefinition of the writing space—the virtual square in which every sign is placed. This assumption leads to some considerations on the dualisms left-right, inside-outside, topbottom, in an attempt to answer to the same old question: how did they write cuneiform?
Rethinking the writing space. Anatomy of some Early Dynastic signs / Bramanti, Armando. - STAMPA. - (2015), pp. 31-47. (Intervento presentato al convegno Current Research in Cuneiform Paleography tenutosi a Warsaw nel July 23rd 2014).
Rethinking the writing space. Anatomy of some Early Dynastic signs
BRAMANTI, ARMANDO
2015
Abstract
This article discusses the possibility of a different approach to some paleographic issues with the help of some well-defined evidence from an Early Dynastic administrative archive from lower Mesopotamia. Our modern perception of the cuneiform artifacts and script is very distant from that of the ancient Mesopotamians. Following the work of the scribe(s) in the more technical aspects, I tried to position—wherever possible—the wedges in the original order, rebuilding the signs from the point of view of the writer himself. The wedges appear to be impressed in a non-conventional manner, suggesting a redefinition of the writing space—the virtual square in which every sign is placed. This assumption leads to some considerations on the dualisms left-right, inside-outside, topbottom, in an attempt to answer to the same old question: how did they write cuneiform?I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.