We would be remiss if digitalEPIGRAPHY did not commemorate Howard Carter in some way on the 100th anniversary of discovering the tomb of Tutankhamun, one of the most important milestones in the history of both Egypt and Egyptology. The next installment of our Evolution of Epigraphy series is therefore dedicated to his exceptional but lesser-known achievements in epigraphy.
Dr. Caroline Louise Ransom Williams (1872-1952) was the first professionally trained woman Egyptologist in America. Mentored by Breasted who was only seven years her senior, their relationship would evolve from teacher and pupil to the greatest of colleagues with a friendship that would last until his death.
In the second entry of our Evolution of Epigraphy series, we go back to the rediscovery of Egypt following the Napoleonic Wars, when epigraphic methods were yet to be conceived and early scholars could rely only on their observation skills and artistic talents to convey the magnificence of the ancient monuments.
The three-part article reflects on how Breasted came to establish the Epigraphic Survey and the Chicago House Method, utilizing new technologies to make epigraphic work possible, and setting the standard for the digital work of today.
