"Inscription" - what is it, definition of the term
An inscription is a permanent textual or symbolic mark created by carving, engraving, or incising a surface such as stone, metal, pottery, or bone; it functions as a direct record of language, identifiers, dates, or commemorations and provides primary evidence for disciplines including archaeology and epigraphy.
Detailed information
The term denotes a permanent written or carved record, often applied to stone, metal, or pottery surfaces. In zoological literature, such records serve as primary evidence for species identification, distribution, and historical presence.
Early archaeological findings include clay tablets and metal plaques bearing depictions of small rodents. These artifacts provide chronological markers for human–rodent interactions, indicating domestication attempts, pest control measures, and symbolic usage in ritual contexts.
Scientific classification relies on formal descriptions published in taxonomic monographs. Each description includes a designated type specimen and a published label that functions as an immutable reference. The label’s content—species name, authority, and diagnostic features—remains unchanged after initial publication, ensuring consistency across subsequent research.
Historical medical treatises contain engraved marginal notes describing rodent-borne diseases. Such notes record observations of plague vectors, transmission pathways, and early containment strategies. The permanence of these notes allows modern scholars to trace the evolution of epidemiological concepts.
Contemporary museum displays often feature engraved plaques that summarize excavation sites where rat or mouse remains were recovered. These plaques list site coordinates, stratigraphic layers, and associated artifact dates, providing visitors with concise, verifiable information.
Key examples:
- A bronze tablet from the 2nd century CE depicting a field mouse alongside grain storage symbols, interpreted as a warning against grain loss.
- A marble slab from a medieval monastery inscribed with a Latin phrase referencing a plague outbreak attributed to rats, dated by paleographic analysis to 1348.
- A ceramic shard from a Neolithic settlement bearing a stylized rat motif, accompanied by a short incised label identifying the settlement name.