TabulaRasa ERC

🤠🖊️🧮This tablet comes from Jemdet Nasr, the remains of an ancient site in southern (modern Iraq).
Tablets such as this list quantities of different commodities using an early form of the cuneiform script, and the circles and half circles that you can see across the document indicate numerals.
This tablet is known as the ‘field of the EN’. It contains calculations for the areas of five fields.

The scribe added these figures together and divided the grand total into thirds. Two thirds were allocated to a person called the EN, which is Sumerian for 'lord', while the remaining third was divided unevenly among other individuals, including the wife of the EN. It clearly reflects a hierarchical society, with EN as a leading figure.

Nice to have the TabulaRasa/CSMC partnership for the ink analysis of Roman wax tablets at MANN by Olivier Bonnerot & Samaneh Ehteram featured in this video realized by the the newpaper Il Mattino!😊 (From 3:10; for the research mission cf. our blog post https://tabularasa.hypotheses.org/4763 )

Una notte al museo: cosa succede al MANN quando è chiuso Il martedì è il giorno di chiusura al pubblico, ma in realtà quello in cui il MANN lavora di più. Il direttore, Francesco Sirano, accompagna Il Mattino tra l...

📌🔬From 𝟐𝟎 to 𝟐𝟒 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, 𝐃𝐫 𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐭 of the 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 (𝐂𝐒𝐌𝐂) 𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐠 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 will be in 𝐍𝐚𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 to conduct non-desctructive analyses of the 𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐱 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬 at the 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐚𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 (𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐍), in the frame of a research cooperation between the 𝐂𝐒𝐌𝐂 and the 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭.
We are delighted to announce that in this framework Dr Bonnerot will give a public talk entitled: “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐒𝐌𝐂 𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐛 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬: 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐢𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢”

The talk will take place on 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟐𝟎 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, at 𝐚𝐭 𝟒:𝟏𝟓 𝐏𝐌, at 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐚𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 ‘𝐋’𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞’, Palazzo Corigliano, Antisala degli Specchi (4th floor), Piazza San Domenico Maggiore 12, 80134 Naples.

The hybrid event, organized as part of the activities of the Centro per lo studio e l’edizione dei testi (CESET) at ‘L’Orientale’, will be followed by a discussion chaired by Dr Silvia Pizzimenti, RTD-A in analytical chemistry for the environment and cultural heritage at the University of Naples ‘Federico II’.

📌🔬From 𝟐𝟎 to 𝟐𝟒 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, 𝐃𝐫 𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐭 of the 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 (𝐂𝐒𝐌𝐂) 𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐠 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 will be in 𝐍𝐚𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 to conduct non-desctructive analyses of the 𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐱 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬 at the 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐚𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 (𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐍), in the frame of a research cooperation between the 𝐂𝐒𝐌𝐂 and the 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭.
We are delighted to announce that in this framework Dr Bonnerot will give a public talk entitled: “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐒𝐌𝐂 𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐛 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬: 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐢𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢”

The talk will take place on 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟐𝟎 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, at 𝐚𝐭 𝟒:𝟏𝟓 𝐏𝐌, at 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐚𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 ‘𝐋’𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞’, Palazzo Corigliano, Antisala degli Specchi (4th floor), Piazza San Domenico Maggiore 12, 80134 Naples.

The hybrid event, organized as part of the activities of the Centro per lo studio e l’edizione dei testi (CESET) at ‘L’Orientale’, will be followed by a discussion chaired by Dr Silvia Pizzimenti, RTD-A in analytical chemistry for the environment and cultural heritage at the University of Naples ‘Federico II’.

Ink, wax, and the non-destructive analysis of written artefacts: Dr Olivier Bonnerot joins TabulaRasa in Naples From 20 to 24 April 2026, Dr Olivier Bonnerot of the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures (CSMC) at Hamburg University will be in Naples to conduct non-destructive analyses of the ink writing...

🤠The 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐚 team shares a bittersweet moment as we bid farewell to a valued colleague and welcome a new researcher to our group. We extend our warmest arrivederci to 𝐃𝐫. 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚, who is moving on to a new position at the University of Naples Federico II. We are equally delighted to welcome 𝐃𝐫. 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐚 𝐃𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬, who joins TabulaRasa as a postdoctoral researcher.

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐚 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡!

Arrivederci! to Dr. Lucia Consuelo Colella and Benvenuto! to Dr. Luca De Curtis :) A Heartfelt Thank You to Lucia The TabulaRasa team shares a bittersweet moment as we bid farewell to a valued colleague and welcome a new researcher to our group. We extend our warmest arrivederci...

Mit Pompeii - Parco Archeologico – Ich gehöre jetzt zu seinen/ihren Top-Fans! 🎉Evviva le tavolette tavolozze tavolelle ... romane e non! :) https://pompeiicommitment.org/en/inventario/waxed-tablets/

📌𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝: 𝐖𝐚𝐱 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬, 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚

Between 19 and 23 January 2026, a research mission was conducted in 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚 (𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲), marking a turning point in the project’s development. Moving beyond preliminary mapping, the focus shifted to the interpretation of practices, gestures, and material behaviours embedded in erasable writing devices.

𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚 proved to be an exceptional terrain, preserving a dense assemblage of tablets from the 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝.

These materials range from tools for intensive everyday use to complex administrative devices and items that eventually acquired symbolic or ritual functions.

The mission, carried out by Michele Cammarosano, Daniele Ferraiuolo, and Doris Oltrogge, was made possible through close cooperation with a network of prestigious institutions: the 𝐃𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦, the 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐚̈𝐭𝐬𝐛𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐤 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭, 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐛𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐤 𝐁𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐠, the 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐯 and 𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐠, and the 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 𝐟𝐮̈𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐧, 𝐖𝐮̈𝐫𝐳𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐠

Together, these supports offer a privileged observatory for studying how writing tablets were handled, maintained, and circulated through history.

🔬📖From a methodological perspective, the mission was an autoptic and materially grounded investigation. Using advanced equipment - including macro lenses, controlled LED lighting, and precision calipers - the team performed a systematic documentation of toolmarks, wax stratigraphy, and binding structures. Specifically, raking light photography proved crucial for revealing hidden incisions and traces of erasure invisible to the naked eye.

This technical refinement supported a broader shift: treating tablets not as static carriers of text, but as “processual objects.” Their surfaces record repeated cycles of writing, erasing, re-preparing, and abandonment. In this view, losses and damage are not failures of preservation, but precious evidence of actual use and historical handling.

Read more: https://tabularasa.hypotheses.org/4034 📌

Celebrating Umberto Eco: a “Conversation in Babylon”

To worthily celebrate the tenth anniversary of Umberto Eco’s passing, TabulaRasa presents the marvelous Conversation in Babylon (1991), a short dialogue of irresistible and irreverent irony and prophetic wit, so timely in these times of digital writing and AI. It has much to do with writing on clay, but also with pyramids, hieroglyphics, and the alphabet… Alongside the Italian original, we provide an English translation, naturally crafted by one of Eco’s own servoscrittori… Enjoy!
https://tabularasa.hypotheses.org/4568

le mitiche tavolette cerate di Murecine (AKA Tabulae Sulpiciorum, oggi al Pompeii - Parco Archeologico) nel bellissimo libro di Michele Stefanile "Terre ardenti e sommerse. Bradisismo flegreo e archeologia subacquea" https://www.intramoenia.it/libri/terre-ardenti-e-sommerse/

...whoever will explain to me why the calamus' shadow is detached from it, will get three sfogliatelle frolle from me! :D (image: a mural painting from beautiful Villa Arianna in Stabiae, with wax tablet, inkwell and calamus) Giorgos Boudalis what do you think? Museo Archeologico di Napoli , Michele Stefanile any thoughts?