Paleography
/ˌpeɪ.liˈɒɡ.rə.fi/noun
The study of ancient handwriting and historical scripts.
Did you know?Paleography comes from Greek roots meaning “old” and “writing,” and it became essential for decoding forged charters, secretive monastic manuscripts, and the hidden lives of scribes.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
palaios
“old, ancient”
Ancient Greek
Greek
graphē
“writing, drawing, record”
Late Latin
Latin
palaeographia
“the study or description of ancient writing”
17th–18th Century
French/Latin scholarly
paléographie
“the scholarly study of ancient scripts and inscriptions”
Modern English
English
paleography
“the study of ancient handwriting and historical writing systems”