Classical Studies 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Palaeography, Papyrology, Bronze Age

• School: Western University
• Department: Classical Studies
• Course: Classical Studies 1000
• Professor: Bernd Steinbock

Document Summary

Translation challenge, all original texts are in latin or greek. Restoring written source: "auxiliary" sciences: epigraphy: deals with inscriptions, ie stone inscriptions (decree of themistocles, 1932-1959. Sea (access offers travel, fishing and trade: obsidian, a volcanic glass. Very good for tools and sharp edges found on island of milos: near eastern influence, bronze tools and weapons. Fragmented mountains (70% rocks: leads to political fragmentations (suspicious of outsiders). Hard for leaders to rule mountainous terrain: proximity to ancient (near east) Lots of timber in the north but no where else. Minimal horses and cattle since they need flat land thus lots of goats and sheep. Stone ages: old before 10,000 bc, middle, new. No history of events; but we reconstruct their daily typical lives, and type of social society and organization they have. Neolithic 6000-3000 bc: agriculture and domestication of animals, chalcolithic (copper-stone) Small groups of hunters: hunting, gathering and obsidian tools, evidence of permanent settlements, pottery, burials, ornaments, domestic animals.