Palaeography is the study of old writing (from the Greek palaeo = old, and graphy = writing).

Palaeographers study how writing has been executed in a range of media throughout history. They explore how scripts have changed over time, and the choices made by individual scribes. The applications of palaeography range from being able to read old documents, to making assessments about the date and place of production of written works, to identifying the work of individual scribes. The evidence generated by palaeographical analysis sheds light on scribal decisions and techniques, and on the social and cultural significance of writing and written documents.

Palaeographers often work with art historians, book historians, and codicologists to understand the contributions of written text to the functions of books and documents.

In recent years a range of digital tools have been developed that have enabled palaeographers to study individual letter forms in greater detail than ever before, to compare large quantities of text, and to reflect on their practice.

For more information see The British Academy blog post by Prof. Teresa Webber.