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epigrapher

epigrapher

1 9.9
A person who studies and reads old writing carved on stone or metal
  • noun
  • /ˈɛpɪˌɡræfər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : epigrafista
  • The epigrapher meticulously analyzed the ancient inscriptions on the stone tablet to uncover its historical significance.
  • epigraphers and archaeologists
  • historians and epigraphers

Examples

  • It was an unprecedented gathering of art historians, epigraphers, and archaeologists, as much a reunion of friends as a scholarly conference.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Epigrapher David Stuart had proposed that Siyaj K'ahk took an army into the heart of Maya country to overthrow the government at Tikal and install a new king.

    Academic text (2007)
  • And perhaps the most highly esteemed Semitic epigrapher in the world, Frank Cross of Harvard.

    Academic text (2003)
  • That early date was surprising enough to archaeologists and epigraphers, who assumed the Hurrians had only just arrived in the region then.

    Academic text (2008)
  • But the Kerrs' work proved indispensable to the art historians and epigraphers at the forefront.

    Academic text (2003)
  • The epigraphers were divided about the authenticity of the first part of the inscription, but in light of the results of the patina committee, they unanimously agreed that the entire inscription must have been modern.

    Academic text (2003)
  • One afternoon, epigraphers Floyd Lounsbury, Peter Mathews, and Schele sat down at Robertson's kitchen table, hoping to expand on the list of known Palenque rulers.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Using the corpus of symbols compiled by epigrapher Iravatham Mahadevan, the team published papers last year in Science and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) that brought computational techniques to bear on the problem.

    Academic text (2010)
  • The verdict of the epigraphers with regard to the Jehoash Inscription was unanimous: the numerous mistakes in grammar and the eccentric mixture of letter forms known from other inscriptions made it clear that this was a modern forgery.

    Academic text (2003)
  • As an epigrapher, she dedicated her career to studying the meanings of carvings found in old ruins.

Synonyms

philologist
vsepigrapher
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A person who studies old written languages and texts like Latin or Greek

looks instead at physical carved writings on durable materials for interpretation
paleographer
vsepigrapher
  • Specialized
9.9

A person who reads and studies old handwriting in documents and books

focuses on writing carved into stone metal or other durable surfaces
paleographist
vsepigrapher
  • Specialized
9.9

A person who studies old handwriting to read and date documents

concentrates on writing carved on rock metal or durable material
papyrologist
vsepigrapher
  • Specialized
9.9

A person who studies very old writings on papyrus

focuses on inscriptions carved into durable materials rather than papyrus texts

How Specialized

epigrapher
  • Specialized
1 9.9
archeologist
  • US
11 3.7
historian
317 3.4
researcher
693 2.7

Surface Forms

epigrapher singular
epigraphers plural

Morphology

epigrapher = epigraphy (semi-transparent) = epi + graph + er

The word is regularly formed as 'epigraphy' + '-er', but the base is a specialist term that many learners will not know.

Etymology

Epigrapher comes from the Greek parts epi- meaning 'on' and graphein meaning 'to write', the same 'graph' you see in autograph and photograph. So an epigrapher is someone who studies and reads old writing cut 'on' stone, metal, or other objects.