palaeographypaleographyn.
/ˌpalɪˈɒɡrəfi/, /ˌpeɪlɪˈɒɡrəfi/, U.S. /ˌpeɪliˈɑɡrəfi/ 1.
a. Ancient writing; an ancient style or method of writing.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > writing > system of writing > [noun] > ancient
palaeography1749
1749 tr. N. A. Pluche Spectacle de la Nature (ed. 2) VII. xx. 112 (chapter title) The French paleography.
1783 E. Stiles U.S. Elevated to Glory & Honor 13 He has lately transmitted a copy of this inscription to M. Gebelin of the Parisian academy of sciences, who comparing them with the Punic paleography, judges them Punic.
1822 Q. Rev. 26 195 Dr. Young..whose acuteness and learning seem calculated to subdue the difficulties of Palæography.
1857 S. Birch Hist. Anc. Pottery (1858) I. 197 Judging from the palæography of the inscriptions, they may have been in use from the age of Augustus to that of..Severus.
1900 G. C. Brodrick Mem. & Impressions 255 Freeman..thought it a waste of time for an historian to grub in palæography.
1970 J. M. Dodgson Place-names Cheshire I. 72 The transition from Birc(h)- to Birt- is obscured by the palæography of -t(h)-, -c(h)-, undistinguishable in many sources.
1994 Armenian Internat. Mag. (Nexis) 30 Sept. 76 The first [project] is an Album of Armenian paleography.
b. The study of ancient writing and inscriptions; the science or art of deciphering and interpreting historical manuscripts and writing systems.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > writing > study or science of written symbols > [noun] > ancient
palaeography1806
1806 A. Clarke Bibliographical Misc. ii. 202 (table) Literary, ancient, modern, Bibliography, Paleography.
1840 Penny Cycl. XVII. 149/1 The study of antient documents, called by modern antiquaries ‘Palæography’.
1859 T. J. Gullick & J. Timbs Painting 100 The art of deciphering ancient writings, or palæography.
1885 Sir E. M. Thompson in Encycl. Brit. XVIII. 143 Palæography is the study of ancient handwriting from surviving examples.
1894 Oxf. Univ. Gaz. 24 412/1 Medieval Latin palaeography and diplomatic.
1963 Trans. Cambr. Bibliogr. Soc. 3 364 The English usage whereby palaeography is taken to include, as a matter of course, every aspect of the manuscript book..is worth keeping.
1980 N.Y. Times (Nexis) 4 Aug. a18/1 She..received an M.A. degree in medieval Latin and paleography from University College of the University of London.
1994 Times 14 Apr. 19/3 He was a student of palaeography with Lowe... He displayed exceptional acumen in the study of early bookhands.
2. = palaeogeography n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > earth sciences > geography > [noun] > palaeogeography
palaeogeography1881
palaeography1896
1896 Geogr. Jrnl. 8 67 Principles of palæography.—The value of palæontology, meaning of archæan land masses; search for ancient shore-lines..ancient mountains.
1945 Bull. Amer. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists 29 438 It is apparent from the angular relations between latitides and longitudes that the distortion is great near the margins in the higher latitudes.., areas in which lines are rarely critically placed in paleography because information is scanty.
1995 Science 21 July 361 (caption) A comparison of proposed middle Miocene paleography and present terrestrial habitats of tropical South America.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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