Crack the Code: Read 3 Latin Inscriptions in 40 Minutes, Part 1

In this session, students will learn from a graduate philologist what it is really like to read an epigraphical inscription. I will share with you the tricks that you need to identify different types of inscription and the most common abbreviations used. No previous knowledge of Latin is needed, but those who do know Latin will have a chance to put their translating skills into practice!

The first 5 minutes will be a short introduction of the participants and a presentation of the challenge; then, we will spend 30 minutes deciphering 3 different inscriptions, using some of the tricks that philologists have come up with in order to guess the meaning of missing parts; finally, there will be a short discussion on career paths related to epigraphy. 

To make it more fun for everyone, students will only be given the inscription at the very beginning of the session so that everyone starts from scratch. At that point, students will have the opportunity to print it if they wish to take notes on it. At the end of the session, all students will be sent a list of the most common Latin words and abbreviations that can be found in inscriptions, as well as a copy of the 3 inscriptions worked on in class.