paleography

The study and scholarly interpretation of earlier, especially ancient, writing and forms of writing.

The documents whose writing is so studied.

The manner of writing in an earlier, especially ancient, document or set of documents.

An ancient manner of writing; or, more generally, ancient methods of writing collectively.

The science or art of deciphering ancient documents or writing, including the knowledge of the various characters used at different periods by the scribes of different nations and languages, their usual abbreviations, etc.; the study of ancient written documents and modes of writing.

An ancient manner of writing; ancient writings, collectively.

The study of ancient inscriptions and modes of writing; the art or science of deciphering ancient writings, and determining their origin, period, etc., from external characters; diplomatics.

Ancient forms of writing, as in a manuscript or document.

Paleogeography.