The term paleography derives from the modern Latin palaeographia , in turn formed by two Greek words: palaio- (which translates as “paleo-” ) and -graphía (i.e. “-graphy” ). Paleography is the science that is dedicated to the analysis of ancient documents to study their signs and writing .
Paleography, therefore, is the discipline that focuses on the evolution of writing . It is also dedicated to locating, classifying and dating those graphic materials linked to its object of study.
Paleography experts, known as paleographers , research the various techniques that were used for writing throughout history . In this framework, they are oriented both to the process of developing the testimonies that are captured in writing and to the result of said process.
By generating knowledge about ancient writings, paleography helps to know various questions about the way of life of other times. The researcher, in this way, obtains information about cultural and social practices of yesteryear: said data, in turn, contributes to the understanding of other historical periods.
In its broadest sense, paleography studies all forms of writing, regardless of the type of material and language , since human beings began to share their thoughts through signs. This science, however, is usually oriented specifically to alphabetic writing .
Importantly, paleography can be divided into general paleography (which deals with any kind of written document ) and specialized paleography (which deals with specific documents, such as epigraphic paleography , numismatic paleography and bibliographic paleography ).
There are several criteria that can be used to generate a classification of paleography and its different types, such as the object of its study, the chronology or the general purpose. First of all we can talk about diplomatic paleography , which specializes in the study of linguistic signs that can be found in documents.
There are those who justify the birth of diplomatic paleography in the need to detect false documents to avoid fraud in different legal areas, particularly when an inheritance or access to a noble title depended on their authenticity.
On the other hand, there is bibliographic paleography , thanks to which it is possible to study the content present in books and handwritten codices. This type of paleography is considered one of the branches of bibliography , the science that studies the evolution and history of printed and manuscript books, focusing on their material features, such as their state of conservation, their binding, their different editions and their impression.
Numismatic paleography , for its part, is dedicated to the analysis of the writing that we find on medals and coins. Specialists relate it directly to numismatics, a discipline or science that complements archeology that studies the formulas, artistic features and other characteristics of said objects.
There is also epigraphic paleography , dedicated to the study of archaeological inscriptions and tombstones. It does not focus only on the character of the letter but also addresses issues such as graphic instruments, material, form, style and language, among others. In the case of the paleography of Greek and Latin texts, research usually prioritizes texts captured in ink on soft materials.
As can be seen, paleography is related to many other sciences and disciplines, and this tells us about the importance of writing for our species. Our languages and the different ways we express them have played a fundamental role in our evolution, and hide a large part of our history in their symbols , in their materials and in their canvases.