Writing Quote by A. H. SAYCE
““The direction in which the characters look determines the direction in which they should be read. This alternate or boustrophedon mode of writing also characterises early Greek inscriptions, and since it was not adopted by either Phœnicians, Egyptians, or Assyrians, the question arises whether the Greeks did not learn to write in such a fashion from neighbours who made use of the Hittite script.””
About This Quote
Source Article: Study of Ancient Greek Inscriptions, 1998
The way characters are oriented indicates reading direction, a feature seen in early Greek writing but not in neighboring scripts.
In simple terms: Reading direction follows character orientation.
Key Takeaway
Observe character orientation to infer reading order.
Themes
writing
history
orientation
reading
culture
Mood
analytical
curious
Type
academic
informative
When to use this quote
- archaeology
- epigraphy
- education
- design
- digital text rendering
Key Concepts
boustrophedon
script evolution
comparative linguistics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does script orientation affect comprehension?
- What other scripts show similar directional choices?
A Different Perspective
Greek script adopted a unique directionality despite regional influences.
