Fresh Approaches to Epigraphic Material

Stone inscriptions represent one of our richest sources of evidence for the ancient world.  They also present compelling methodological challenges through their liminal status as both texts and material objects.  Yet there remains a need for the study of epigraphy to be more consistently integrated into theoretical and archaeological ways of thinking about the past and material culture.  At the same time, there is tremendous potential still left untapped in terms of thinking of inscriptions as texts, particularly abbreviated and/or fragmentary texts.   This panel, therefore, seeks to present new, even experimental, methodological and theoretical approaches to epigraphy, by bringing together archaeological theorists, scholars working on ancient literature, and those who work regularly on inscriptions and carved material, including visual culture.  Possible topics for abstracts include, but are certainly not limited to:

• the materiality of inscriptions as archaeological objects
• the application to epigraphy of literary approaches to fragmentary texts
• the interaction of image and text on inscriptions
• phenomenological approaches to inscriptions
• the nature of epigraphic production and stone-carving
• ways of viewing inscriptions in antiquity
• the experience (both ancient and modern) of reading inscriptions, in particular abbreviated texts
• digital techniques which enable new interpretative paradigms

Confirmed speakers: Tatiana Ivleva, Peter Kruschwitz, Myles Lavan, Polly Low, Katherine McDonald, Kelsey Williams.

Papers at the CCC are usually 40 minutes long; however, shorter presentations may also be considered.  Prospective speakers are asked to send an abstract of no more than 300 words to Eleri Cousins at ehc5@st-andrews.ac.uk by January 31st, 2018.  Please specify desired paper length in the abstract.  It is intended that this panel will serve as the springboard for an edited volume, aiming for publication in 2020 or 2021; prospective speakers should state with their abstract whether they would wish to participate in this volume.