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Greek Letter Forms

Letter Forms in Letter Forms in

Letter Forms in
Literary Papyri Minuscule Manuscripts
Uncial Manuscripts
(to 8th century) (from 9th Century)

Source: Bernhard Abraham van Groningen, Short Manual of Greek Palaeography, (Leiden:
1940)

The author and maintainer of this site is Paul Halsall. He can be contacted by email at halsall@fordham.edu

Please do not hesitate to mail comments or suggestions.

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Entrance Page Greek Letter Combinations (ligatures, etc.)
By ligatures are meant combinations of letters made for the sake of writing rather than the meaning of a word or words.
For those see the separate Greek Abbreviations file.
Ligatures: Ligatures: Ligatures:
Usual combinations of Combinations of letters in Combinations of letters by
Minuscule letters later minuscule MSS superposition

These ligatures were made As uncial letter forms were mixed in In some case super-positioning
according to set rules, which were with pure minuscule (for instance (placing one letter above another)
almost always followed in early beta, kappa, pi), ligatures were created yet more new forms.
minuscule MSS created using both forms
Source: Bernhard Abraham van Groningen, Short Manual of Greek Palaeography, (Leiden: 1940)

The author and maintainer of this site is Paul Halsall. He can be contacted by email at halsall@fordham.edu

Please do not hesitate to mail comments or suggestions.

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ikon/greekabb.html Back to: Byzantine Studies Page |

Byzantine Paleography Entrance Page
 Greek Abbreviations

By abbreviations here are meant combinations of letters made for the sake of the meaning of a word
or words rather than for the purpose of rapid writing. For those see the separate Greek Letter
Combinations file. Not included here is any listing of "standard" abbreviations, when for instance the
conclusion of a word is omitted, or prepositions are given by one or two letters.

Abbreviations could be made in a number of ways. The following tables present variations using the
following methods:

 Superposition: placing of one or more letters are above others.

 Combination: intertwining letters with each other
 Suspension: omitting the end of a word.
 Contraction: omitting the middle part of a word. (Very common in nomina sacra)
 Symbols: using a symbol with no connection to usual letter forms.
 "Deformed letters"
: using a variety of symbols, some from shorthand. Common at the end of words.

Two ore more of these methods might be used in one abbreviation.

Abbreviations: through suspension Abbreviations: through contraction
together with superposition or combination together with superposition, suspension or
combination

Nomina Sacra: Symbols

names or titles of sacred figures, usually
through contraction
 Monograms: Abbreviations:
combinations and superpositions of letters from deformation of letters or tachygraphy
to create distinctive name-symbols

Source: Bernhard Abraham van Groningen, Short Manual of Greek Palaeography,

(Leiden: 1940)

The author and maintainer of this site is Paul Halsall. He can be contacted by email at
halsall@fordham.edu Please do not hesitate to mail comments or suggestions.
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ikon/palexam1.html

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Byzantine Paleography:
Worked Example 1

This example is based on the Chludov Psalter, Moscow State Historical

Museum, MS. Add. gr. 120, fol. 23v. The Psalter is an illuminated
minuscule MS with much use of uncial forms. The complete page is
available to see here. It comprises Psalm 25 (26 by Hebrew/KJV
numbering).

Written Text with modern transcription English Version

Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in
my innocence; and hoping in the Lord I
shall not be moved.

Prove me, O Lord and try me;

purify me as with fire my reins
(kidneys) and my heart..

For thy mercy is before mine

eyes; and I am well pleased with
thy truth.

I have not sat with the council of

vanity, and I will in nowise enter
in with transgresors.

Source: Judith Herrin, The Formation of Christendom, (Princeton:

Princeton University Press, 1987), fig. 16

English version: The Septuagint, trans. Sir Lancelot Brenton, (London:

1951), Psalm 25 (26):1-4
The author and maintainer of this site is Paul Halsall. He can be
contacted by email at halsall@fordham.edu

Please do not hesitate to mail comments or suggestions.

http://www.uky.edu/~kiernan/eBeowulf/main.htm )importante proyecto=

Fantástico http://www.hmml.org/vivarium/hmml_collections.htm Uno desde aquí puede acceder a manuscritos de

distintos autores. Microfilm

listado de links paleograficos: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/byz/paleolinks.html

http://www.miet.gr/web/en/miet/seminars.htm Banco nacional de cultrua. ofrece curso de lectura paleográfica griega

British library http://molcat.bl.uk/msscat/INDX0010.ASP?source=INDX0000.ASP

http://www.beloit.edu/~classics/GospelOfMark/ )images on line codex

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Manuscript Overview

View Manuscript Details

ShelfMark: Codex Vindobonensis Palatinus.
Phil. gr. 204

Source: 21255

City: Wien

Library: Österreichische Nationalbibliothek

Manuscript 110 f.
Folio:

Physical Quarto
Issues:

Century: 15th century

Part Folio: 110 f.

Author: Aristophanes

Supplied Nephelai (Wolken). Cum versione

Title: latina interlinearia et scholiis
marginalibus

Language( Greek
s):

Text Folio: 55b-110b

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