Ancient Literacies

(Marvins-Underground-K-12) #1
Figure 2.9Fragment of IG i^3 422, col. III.

Dedications and dedicatory inscriptions are also interesting in this con-


nection, that of public accessibility. As Keesling has recently pointed out,


the inscriptions on the Athenian Acropolis dedications are very well
spaced, very clear, and are unjustly ignored in discussion about literacy


and access to inscriptions.^48 In particular, she notes the prominence of the


name of the dedicator in such inscriptions, usually first in the line, the


name of the sculptor in a separate line, and the continuing presence of


punctuation even as it drops out of fifth-century Athenian decrees. The


clarity and simplicity of these dedications is certainly very striking—as are


many victory dedications elsewhere, one might add—and we can imagine



  1. Keesling 2003.


Writing, Reading, Public and Private ‘‘Literacies’’ 35

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