Syllabic Writing on Cyprus and its Context

Edited by Philippa M. Steele

City: Cambridge/New York

Year: 2013

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Series: Cambridge Classical Studies

Description: Hardback, 208 p., 13 b/w illustrations, 7 tables, 21,6x13,8 cm

Abstract

This volume offers a new and interdisciplinary treatment of syllabic writing in ancient Cyprus. A team of distinguished scholars tackles epigraphic, palaeographic, linguistic, archaeological, historical and terminological problems relating to the island’s writing systems in the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age, from the appearance of writing around the fifteenth century down to the end of the first millennium BC. The result is not intended to be a single, unified view of the scripts and their context, but rather a varied collection that demonstrates a range of interpretations of the evidence and challenges some of the longstanding or traditional views of the population of ancient Cyprus and its epigraphic habits. This is the first comprehensive account of the ‘Cypro-Minoan’ and ‘Cypriot syllabic’ scripts to appear in a single volume and forms an invaluable resource for anyone studying Cypriot epigraphy or archaeology.

Contents

List of figures [ix]
List of tables[x]
List of the contributors [xi]
Acknowledgements [xiv]
List of abbreviations [xv]
Concordance of HoChyMin inscriptions cited [xvi]

Philippa M. Steele, ‘Introduction: Syllabic writing on Cyprus and its context’ [1-6]

1. Jean-Pierre Olivier, ‘The development of Cypriot syllabaries, from Enkomi to Kafizin’ [7-26]

2. Yves Duhoux, ‘Non-Greek languages of ancient Cyprus and their scripts: Cypro-Minoan 1–3’ [27-48]

3. Silvia Ferrara, ‘Writing in Cypro-Minoan: one script, too many? [49-76]

4. Susan Sherratt, ‘Late Cypriot writing in context’ [77-106]

5. Markus Egetmeyer, ‘From the Cypro-Minoan to the Cypro-Greek syllabaries: linguistic remarks on the script reform’ [107-132]

6. Maria Iacovou, ‘The Cypriot Syllabary as a royal signature: the political context of the syllabic script in the Iron Age’ [133-152]

7. Massimo Perna, ‘Rethinking some alphabetic and syllabic Cypriot inscriptions’ [153-160]

Bibliography [161]
Index of inscriptions cited [181]
Index of syllabic signs discussed [184]
General index [186]