Epigraphy is the study of texts (inscriptions) written on hard surfaces, primarily stone, but also including other surfaces such as metals, clay pottery, vases, mosaics, etc.

This Guide primarily covers Latin and Greek inscriptions, but the field of epigraphy covers inscriptions in all languages.

Because of their nature inscriptions tend to remain on site, but BYU's L. Tom Perry Special Collections does own several inscriptions, including a Roman military diploma from 109 AD, a gold lamella with a Greek inscription created between the 1st and 3rd centuries BC, and a number of clay cuneiform tablets. Additionally the library collects publications of inscriptions.

The major publications of inscriptions collected by the Library will be found in the Publications tab of this guide. To find other publications of inscriptions in the Library, as well as books about epigraphy and inscriptions,

Go to the Library catalog
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Some common subject searches

Searches beginning with Inscriptions Including Inscriptions, Ancient Inscriptions, Arabic Inscriptions, Aramaic Inscriptions, Byzantine Inscriptions, Chinese Inscriptions, Cypro-Minoan Inscriptions, Egyptian Inscriptions, Etruscan Inscriptions, Greek Inscriptions, Hebrew Inscriptions, Hieroglyphic Inscriptions, Hittite Inscriptions, Indic Inscriptions, Italic Inscriptions, Latin Inscriptions, Linear A Inscriptions, Linear B Inscriptions, Mayan Inscriptions, Oscan Inscriptions, Phoenician Inscriptions, Runic Inscriptions, Sabaean Inscriptions, Semitic Inscriptions, Umbrian as well as searches beginning with Inscriptions + a geographic name, including Inscriptions--Greece--Crete

Other useful searches: Christian inscriptions Coptic inscriptions Cuneiform inscriptions Epitaphs Graffiti--Egypt Graffiti--Greece Graffiti--Italy Graffiti--Palestine Islamic inscriptions Jewish epitaphs Jewish inscriptions Old Persian inscriptions Paleography Paleography, Arabic Paleography, Coptic Paleography, Egyptian Paleography, Greek Paleography, Hebrew Paleography, Latin Paleography, Semitic

Epigraphical publications are indexed in the same indexes applicable to general Classical Studies. For information about searching these indexes, see the Classical Studies Library Guide. Most of the journals listed below are indexed in L'Année Philologique.

The Library currently subscribes to a number of journals dealing with epigraphy, all of which are indexed. Click on ♦ to access the BYU Catalog description of the journal.

♦ Aegyptus

Periodicals Room PA 3339 .A4

Copy in JSTOR (except most recent five years) (authentication required)

♦ Anatolian Studies

Lee Stacks DS 56 .A66

Copy of recent issues in Cambridge Journals (authentication required--click through from catalog record)

Copy in JSTOR (except most recent three years) (authentication required)

♦ L'année épigraphique

Lee Stacks CN 520 .A55x

Copy in JSTOR (except most recent seven years) (authentication required)

♦ Bulletin de l'Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale du Caire (BIFAO)

Ancient Studies DT 57 .F81

Index

♦ "Bulletin épigraphique," in Revue des études grecques, 1888-

Periodicals Room DF 10 .R4

Online version at Persée

Index (ongoing)

Index du Bulletin épigraphique de Jeanne et Louis Robert, 1978-1984. 2010.

On order for Ancient Studies 27 October 2022

Index du Bulletin épigraphique (1987-2001). 2005.

On order for Ancient Studies 27 October 2022

♦ Chronique d'Égypte, Bulletin périodique de la Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth

Periodicals Room DT 57 .C4

Table of Contents of recent issues

♦ Enchoria : Zeitschrift für Demotistik und Koptologie

Lee Stacks PA 3339 .E52x

Epigraphica Anatolica : Zeitschrift für Epigraphik und historische Geographie Anatoliens

The Library does not subscribe, but an index and PDFs of recent volumes will be found here.

♦ Epigraphica

Ancient Studies CN 1 .E6

♦ Grammateion

Online

♦ The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology

Lee Stacks DT 57 .E362

Copy in JSTOR (except most recent five years) (authentication required)

♦ The Journal of Hellenic Studies

Periodicals Room DF 10 .J8

Copy of recent issues in Cambridge Journals (authentication required--click through from catalog record)

Copy in JSTOR (except most recent three years) (authentication required)

♦ The Journal of Roman Studies

Periodicals Room DG 11 .J7

Copy of recent issues in Cambridge Journals (authentication required--click through from catalog record)

Copy in JSTOR (except most recent five years) (authentication required)

♦ Kadmos : Zeitschrift für vor- und frühgrieschische Epigraphik

Periodicals Room CN 1 .K3

Last 15 years available at publisher website (authentication required--click through from catalog record)

♦ Minima epigraphica et papyrologica

Ancient Studies CN 350 .M56

♦ Nestor

Periodicals Room P 1035 .A1 N4

♦ New Documents Illustrating Early Christianity

Lee Stacks BR 134 .N4x

♦ Orientalia

Periodicals Room PJ 6 .O7

♦ Revue d'Égyptologie

Lee Stacks PJ 1003 .R35

♦ Sylloge epigraphica Barcinonensis

Online

♦ Tyche : Beiträge zur alten Geschichte, Papyrologie und Epigraphik

Ancient Studies D 51 .T93

♦ Zeitschrift für ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde

Periodicals Room PJ 1004 .Z4

♦ Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik (ZPE)

Ancient Studies PA 3339 .Z45

Index

Copy in JSTOR (except most recent three years) (authentication required)