Reflections on Paratextual Markers and Graphic Devices in Ur III Administrative Documents

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Published: Feb 9, 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14434/tc.v8i2.13276

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Christina Tsouparopoulou
University of Heidelberg

Abstract

Mining 15,000 cuneiform inscribed clay documents, albeit with about 10 lines of text each, this article discusses elements appearing on these tablets beyond text which accentuated in a visual way the structure of the documents and usually aided or, in some instances, obscured their reading and subsequent interpretation. These paratextual markers and graphic devices are left-edge inscriptions, rulings, blank spaces, and sealings that added information not available from the text alone.

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Vol. 8 No. 2 (2013)
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Articles

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