Epigraphik 2000. Neunte Fachtagung für mittelalterliche und. neuzeitliche Epigraphik

The sience of medieval and early modern inscriptions - a young field of research compared to classical epigraphy - aims on one hand at the painstaking edition of these very specific and manifold historical sources respecting their value as cultural heritage. On the other hand it is a modern auxiliary science of history in contact with many other disciplines of cultural history. The volume presents 15 papers of an international conference with participants from Germany and Austria, France and Italy, the Czech Republic and Poland and gives a first complex survey over the phenomenon of early modern inscriptions, respecting their variety in function, design and message. This is truly a desideratum, considering that the majority of epigraphic monuments in most regions of Europe date from the early modern period but have not yet drawn adequate attention from scholars to themselves. Main issues were the palaeography of inscriptions as a complex analysis of design and development of script and writing (regarding f.i. the interdependence of handwriting, prints and epigraphic writing) or the topic inscriptions as sources for history of culture and mentality, history of confessions or history of art as well as the connection between inscriptions and the language of the texts. A number of related future perspectives have been outlined. Moreover, the contributions point out for the first time the great importance of long-term epigraphic edition work as the basis for forthcoming interdisciplinary research.