inscription

An inscription is text that has been carved, painted, engraved, or cast onto a durable surface such as stone, metal, ceramic, or plaster. Inscriptions are created to communicate information, commemorate persons or events, mark ownership, or express devotion, and they are intended to endure for posterity.

Common forms include monumental inscriptions on public monuments (stele, triumphal columns), epitaphs on tombs, dedicatory inscriptions in temples, and legal or administrative inscriptions on buildings or tablets. Inscriptions can be letters, numerals, or ritual formulas, and may be in the original language of the text or a later transcription.

Historically, inscriptions are valuable primary sources for ancient civilizations. They range from Mesopotamian cuneiform on clay tablets and stone stelae to Egyptian hieroglyphs, Greek and Latin dedications, and inscriptions in Maya and other scripts. The field that studies inscriptions is epigraphy, which involves decipherment, dating, paleography, and contextual analysis. Notable examples include the Rosetta Stone and countless tomb epitaphs and public dedications.

Today, inscription studies support archaeology, linguistics, art history, and heritage conservation. The practice includes field recording, digital transcription, 3D scanning, and non-destructive dating methods. Inscriptions continue to illuminate language development, religious practices, political power, and daily life across cultures.