palæography
(pæliːˈɒgrəfɪ, peɪliː-)
Also (chiefly U.S.) paleo-.
[ad. mod.L. palæographia (Montfaucon, title Palæographia Græca 1708), f. palæo-, paleo- + Gr. -γραϕία -graphy. Cf. F. paléographie (1708).]
1. Ancient writing, or an ancient style or method of writing.
| 1822 Q. Rev. XXVI. 195 Dr. Young..whose acuteness and learning seem calculated to subdue the difficulties of Palæography. 1857 Birch 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. |
2. The study of ancient writing and inscriptions; the science or art of deciphering and determining the date of ancient writings or systems of writing.
| 1818 in Todd. 1840 Penny Cycl. XVII. 149/1 The study of antient documents, called by modern antiquaries ‘Palæography’. 1859 Gullick & Timbs Paint. 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. |
So
palæograph (
ˈpæliːəgrɑːf,
-æ-,
ˈpeɪ-) [see
-graph], (
a) an ancient writing; (
b)
= next [
= F.
paléographe];
palæˈographer, one who studies or is skilled in palæography;
palæoˈgraphic, -ical adjs., of or pertaining to palæography, or ancient writing (hence
palæoˈgraphically adv., in relation to palæography);
palæˈographist = palæographer.
| 1864 Webster, *Paleograph, an ancient manuscript. 1894 A. Lang in Contemp. Rev. Aug. 169 The great French palæograph and historian. |
| 1850 C. T. Newton Ess. in Archæol. 12 The researches of the *Palæographer of classical antiquity embrace a far wider field than those of the mediæval Palæographer. 1881 Hartshorne Glance 20th C. 21 A Greek Codex..believed by palæographers to belong to the third century. |
| 1846 Worcester, *Paleographic. 1858 J. Prinsep (title) Essays on Indian Antiquities, Historic, Numismatic, and Palæographic. |
| 1842 Brande Dict. Sci. s.v. Palæography, The most valuable compilation of *palæographical knowledge is to be found in the Traité de Diplomatique of the Benedictines of St. Maur, 6 vols. 4to. 1748. 1846 Ellis Elgin Marb. II. 135 One of the most celebrated palæographical monuments in existence. |
| 1869 Deutsch in Academy 11 Dec. 83/2 Both these Phoenician characters, though to be distinguished *palaeographically only by the length and the bend of the tail, have a very distinct existence. 1882 Athenæum 29 July 139/2 The reading..is..palæographically impossible. |
| 1846 Worcester, *Paleographist, one versed in paleography. T. Rood. 1880 Antiquary May 227/1 MSS...declared by Roman palæographists to be unpublished compositions of St. Thomas Aquinas. |