Lost in a Forest of Signs
Describing and Understanding Graphic Variation in Ancient Writing Systems
Infos
L'un des principaux défis de tout déchiffrement consiste à déterminer quand des glyphes apparemment similaires doivent être considérés comme des variantes graphiques (allographes) d’un même signe (par exemple, a/𝑎), partageant des valeurs phonographiques et/ou sémiographiques identiques, et quand ils doivent plutôt être considérés comme des signes distincts ayant des valeurs différentes malgré leur ressemblance formelle (par exemple, minuscule <L> vs majuscule <i> : l/I).
Cette conférence vise à explorer si la résolution de cette question dépend nécessairement de l'analyse linguistique – et donc du déchiffrement lui-même – ou si, dans certains cas, une compréhension plus approfondie de la variation graphique peut dans les faits éclairer ou faciliter le processus de déchiffrement.
Dans le cadre de cette conférence, nous opérons donc une distinction entre les systèmes d'écriture déchiffrés, où cette question a été (pour l'essentiel) réglée, et les systèmes non déchiffrés, où elle reste ouverte. L'un des principaux objectifs de cette réunion est de rassembler les chercheurs qui travaillent sur les systèmes d'écriture non déchiffrés et ceux qui étudient les systèmes déchiffrés, afin de favoriser le dialogue et le partage d'idées, notamment grâce à une description plus précise et nuancée des divers phénomènes que recouvre ce que nous appelons la variation graphique.
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One of the central challenges in any decipherment lies in determining when apparently similar glyphs should be understood as graphic variants (allographs) of the same sign (e.g., a/𝑎), sharing identical phonographic and/or semographic values, and when they should instead be regarded as distinct signs with different values (e.g., minuscule <L> vs. majuscule <i>: l/I).
This conference seeks to explore whether resolving this issue necessarily depends on linguistic analysis—and therefore on decipherment itself—or whether, in some cases, a deeper understanding of graphic variation can in fact inform or facilitate the process of decipherment.
A distinction can be drawn between deciphered writing systems, where this question has (mostly) been settled, and undeciphered systems, where it remains open. One of the main aims of this meeting is to bring together scholars working on undeciphered writing systems with those studying deciphered ones, fostering dialogue and shared insights—particularly through a more precise and nuanced description of the diverse phenomena encompassed by what we term graphic variation.
The access to the conference is free and does not require any registration. For online participation, you can watch the conference live on the YouTube channel of the University of Liège at: https://www.youtube.com/@ciplulg4583.
15 June : Université de Liège, salle Gothot
Deciphered scripts
Alphabets, Abdjads & Abugidas
Chair: Stéphane Polis
- 10h-10h35: 1st presentation – Peter Stein (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena / Universität Erfurt)
Graphic Variation in Ancient South Arabian - 10h35-11h10: 2nd presentation – Jaime Martinez Porro (Freie Universität Berlin)
The Avestan script
- 11h30-12h05: 3rd presentation – Svenja Bonmann (University of Cologne)
The Kushan script - 12h05-12h40: 4th presentation – Ignasi Adiego (Universitat de Barcelona)
Graphemes and Allographs in the Decipherment of Carian
- 14h-14h35: 5th presentation – Ben Haring (University of Leiden)
Proto-Sinaitic: An Iconic Abdjad?
- 14h35-15h10: 6th presentation – François Desset (Université de Liège)
Graphic variation in Linear Elamite Script
15h10-15h30: coffee break
- 15h30-16h05: 7th presentation – Andreas Thele (Université de Liège)
Graphic Variations of Characters in the Japanese Writing Systems - 16h05-16h40: 8th presentation – Laurent Colonna d’Istria / Mason Wilkes (Université de Liège)
Graphic Variation in Cuneiform: Past and Present Approaches
16 June : Université de Liège, salle Lumière
Chair: Nathalie Sojic
- 9h30-10h05 : 9th presentation – Ester Salgarella (Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Aarhus, Denmark; online presentation)
(De)Signs – Evaluating Graphic Variation in the ‘Minoan’ Linear A Scripth - 10h05-10h40: 10th presentation – Alessandro Greco (Università La Sapienza – Roma)
Paleography and Graphotechnics Applied to Linear B: Some Research Perspectives
- 11h-11h35: 11th presentation – Yanru Xu (VIEWS project, Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge)
Graphic Variations and Classifier Variations in the Guodian Bamboo Manuscripts - 11h35-12h10: 12th presentation – Rostyslav Oreshko (CNRS Orient & Méditerranée)
Identifiying Sign Variants in Hieroglyphic Luwian – A Tortuous Path between Palaeographical, Linguistic, and Historical Argument - 12h10-12h45: 13th presentation – Emil Joubert / Stéphane Polis (Université de Liège)
The “Writing of the Birds”: Sorting Iconic Variation through Decipherment in Egyptian Hieroglyphs
- 14h-14h35: 14th presentation – Christian Prager (Universität Bonn)
Horror Repetitionis and the Joy of Writing: Allography, Graphic Variation, and the Logic of Decipherment in the Classic Maya Script - 14h35-15h10: 15th presentation – Duncan J. Poupard (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)
Naxi Script as a Generative Writing System: Challenges and New Pathways
- 15h30-16h05: 16th presentation – Gordon Whitthaker (Georg August Universität Göttingen)
Glyphic Variation in Aztec and post-Aztec sources
Undeciphered Scripts
- 16h05-16h40: 17th presentation – Kathryn Kelley, Logan Born, Willis Monroe, Anoop Sarkar (Uppsala University)
Existential Questions in the Construction of a Proto-Elamite Signlist - 16h40-17h15: 18th presentation – Andreas Fuls (Technische Universität Berlin)
Signs in Proto-Byblos Inscriptions
17 June : Université de Liège, salle Gothot
Chair: Elise Franssen
- 9h30-10h05: 19th presentation – Bryan Wells (Independent Researcher) / Andreas Fuls (Technische Universität Berlin)
Signs and Graphic Variation of Indus Inscriptions - 10h05-10h40: 20th presentation – Piotr Zadworny (Freie Universität Berlin)
Disentangling Glyphic Variation in Archaic Mesopotamian Economic Accounts
10h40-10h55: coffee break
Chair: Philippe Swennen
- 10h55-11h30: 21st presentation – Albert Davletshin (Instituto de Antropología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico)
Graphic Variation in the Kohau Rongorongo Script of Easter Island and Decipherment Methods - 11h30-12h05: 22nd presentation – Merten a Campo (University of Cambridge)
The Evaluation of Graphic Variability in the Hieroglyphic Writing of Crete
Ouverture
- 12h05-12h40: 23rd presentation – Cécile Pierrot (Université de Lorraine, CNRS, INRIA) / Camille Desenclos (Université de Picardie Jules Verne)
Lost in Decryption: Variety and Variability of Ciphertext Characters in Early Modern Texts
Conclusion
- 12h40-13h: Jean-Marie Klinkenberg (Université de Liège)
Organisateurs/Contacts : Laurent Colonna d'Istria – lcolonnadistria@uliege.be ; François Desset – fdesset@uliege.be ; Emil Joubert – ejoubert@uliege.be ; Stéphane Polis – S.Polis@uliege.be
