Description: There has been much debate about the dates of 5th century B.C. Athenian inscriptions and the hands of the inscribers. This book brings order to the study of hands of 5th century B.C. Athens by setting out a methodology, by discussing critically the
Brief description: Stephen V. Tracy, The Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, USA.
Review Quotes: "What distinguishes the publication under review and makes it an integral part of the whole "corpus" of Tracy's work on this concept is its attempt to get at the actual chronology of inscriptions via the hand of the cutter. [...] In summation, Athenian Lettering of the Fifth Century: The Rise of the Professional Letter Cutter makes a strong contribution to the field of Greek epigraphy and palaeography. Its intended audience is that community of classical Greek scholars whose interest is not limited to the contents of an inscription, which naturally furnishes a host of disciplines; but the valued existence of the physical inscription as writing on stone as well. Paradoxically, the book is on the cutting edge of the increased role of squeezes in the discipline and the urge for the scholar to use them instead of personal autopsy. Those interested in methodology will also be drawn to the book."
Patricia A. Butz in: Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2018.02.04