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This publication seeks to endeavour the relationship between material artefacts and reading practices in ancient and medieval cultures.While the acts of reception of written artefacts in former times are irretrievably lost, some of the involved artefacts are preserved and might comprise hints to the ancient reading practices. In form of case studies, the contributions to this volume examine various forms of written artefacts as to their implications on modes of reading. Analyzing different Qumran scrolls, codices, Tefillin, Mezuzot, magical texts, tablets, bricks, and statues as well as meta-textual and iconographic aspects, the articles inquire the possibilities of how to correlate material aspects to assumed modes of reception and practices of reading. The contributions stem from Egyptology, Papyrology, Qumran Studies, Biblical Studies, Jewish Studies, Ancient Christianity, and Islamic Studies.In total, this volume contributes to the research on practices of reception in times past and demonstrates the potential hidden in text-bearing artefacts.

Materiality --- Reading

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This volume presents recent research on the relationship between the material format of text-bearing artefacts, the texts they carry, and their genre. The essays cover a vast period, from the counting stones of the late 4th millennium BCE to the time of the Great Hittite Kingdom in the 2nd millennium BCE. The breadth of substantive focus allows new insights of relevance to scholars in both Ancient Middle Eastern studies and the humanities.

Materiality --- writing --- text --- Mesopotamia

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Considering Greek statue inscriptions from the archaic and early classical periods, this book emphasizes inscription practices without losing sight of issues of semantics. The analysis focuses on the layout and graphical or ornamental features of the inscriptions. With this approach, for the first time questions of aesthetics and materiality, which were previously examined only for the statues themselves, are also brought to their inscriptions.

Materiality --- inscription --- writing culture

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This study focuses on Holy Scriptures as material objects. What are the contexts for the appearances and the usages of these objects? Is there a difference between Holy Scriptures and other objects, and is it inevitably their sacred content that renders them holy? Interdisciplinary perspectives offer new incentives for understanding the material phenomenon of the ‘Holy Scriptures’.

Materiality --- Holy Scripture --- usage practices

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The everyday use of texts in the ancient world relates in many ways to contemporary practice. Besides inscribed artifacts, the self-reflection of Greek and Roman authors demonstrate an awareness of the importance of materiality. This book presents sixteen interdisciplinary studies of specific cases that illuminate this complex interaction between material presence, media semantics, and literary reflection.

Materiality --- mediality --- poetic self-reflection