Inscriptions

This chapter explores the overlap and synergy of visual art and text in Byzantine culture, with focus upon inscriptions, in particular those with literary aspirations. Bringing together insights drawn from the disciplines of epigraphy and art history, the chapter introduces the reader to current approaches to the study of inscribed texts as an integral aspect of Byzantium’s literary and material cultures. Among the topics addressed are the interplay between the linguistic and extra-linguistic dimensions of the written word; the use of inscriptions to mark, enhance, and comment on artifacts and visual representations; and the agency of inscribed objects as vehicles of memory and self-representation. The discussion combines analyses of specific examples across a range of contexts and artistic media with reflections on methodology and proposals for future research.