A Palaeographical Study of Egyptian Inscriptions in Serabit el-Khadim
Serabit el-Khadim with its temple of the goddess Hathor is an ancient Egyptian site,located in southwest Sinai where mining expeditions used to extract copper and turquoise. 223 Middle Kingdom, 188 New Kingdom (1985-1069 BC) and 95 undated inscriptions are attested from this site. They are written in 5 different scripts. The reason for using these scripts is still unclear. This study aims (a) to tackle the writing practices of the scribes and their social contexts to examine (b) the similarities/differences of written signs, their palaeography and (c) to date inscriptions. A palaeographical study of these inscriptions, which has never been conducted, can help to explore the evolution of writing in a crucial contact area at the border between Egypt and the Levant in the 2nd millennium BC. It could provide a deeper understanding of cultural interactions.
