Epigraphy
/ɪˈpɪɡ.rə.fi/noun
The study of inscriptions or written words engraved on durable surfaces.
Did you know?Epigraphy comes from Greek roots meaning “to write upon,” and it unlocks the voices of dead civilizations from stone, bronze, and temple walls.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peig-
“to cut, incise”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἐπιγραφή (epigraphḗ)
“an inscription; a title written on something”
Late Latin
Latin
epigraphia
“inscription or the study of inscriptions”
16th Century
English
epigraphy
“the study of inscriptions”
Modern English
English
epigraphy
“the study of inscriptions on durable materials”