History of Text Technologies

The Cuneiform Tablets Collection (MSS 2016-002) consists of twenty-five clay tablets with text in cuneiform script. The content of the tablets is primarily related to agriculture and commerce; they are essentially temple records and business documents dating from over 4000 years ago.

The Greek and Latin Ostraka collection (MSS 2015-012) consists of thirty-two clay pottery fragments with text in Greek and Latin documenting the activities of a Roman Army unit stationed near Edfu, Egypt. Ostraka (singular ostracon) are potsherds that have writing scratched or written on them.
Dates: All of the ostraka date to circa 150 CE.
Language: Nineteen of the ostraka are written in Greek, three are written in Latin.
Geographic source: Edfu, Egypt