Measuring scribal literacy (DANES25)

Measuring Scribal Literacy Through Quantitative Analysis: A Landmark-Based Approach to Cuneiform Signs Link to Slides This study addresses a fundamental question in Assyriology and ancient literacy studies: can we develop quantifiable metrics to distinguish between different levels of scribal literacy based on the quality of handwriting? While paleographic studies have traditionally relied on descriptive terminology for sign variations, such assessments remain largely qualitative (Devecchi, Müller and Mynářová, 2015; Devecchi, Mynářová and Müller, 2019). The present paper proposes a methodological framework integrating geometric morphometrics (GM) and computational analysis to establish objective measurements of scribal competence across diverse textual corpora. Our approach leverages a new annotation system to identify standardized landmarks on cuneiform signs—a method adapted from evolutionary biology that captures distinct shape variables in geometric forms (Okumura and Araujo, 2019). While previous computational approaches to ancient inscriptions faced challenges with cuneiform's three-dimensional nature, our methodology directly measures wedge stroke execution patterns, including angles, proportions, and spatial relationships between components from 2D images. Case studies presented will include both peripheral Akkadian (Hattusa, Ugarit, Alalakh, Canaan), and Mesopotamian examples (Old and Middle Assyrian). By analyzing these quantifiable features across texts from different archives, genres, and historical periods, we can establish baseline metrics for expert scribal production and identify statistically significant deviations that may indicate varying literacy levels. Preliminary results from the annotation of signs for Mikulinsky & Alper et al. (2025) demonstrate that consistent measurements of wedge stroke variation correlate with known paleographic typologies, while also revealing subtle distinctions previously undetected through traditional observational methods. This research contributes to broader scholarly discourse on literacy acquisition in ancient societies by providing a data-driven framework for distinguishing between professional scribes, apprentices, and occasional writers. Moreover, it establishes a methodological foundation for investigating knowledge transmission patterns in scribal education and practice. By transforming traditional qualitative assessments into measurable parameters, this study enhances our understanding of how scribal competence manifested physically in cuneiform sign execution, offering new perspectives on literacy as both technical skill and cultural practice in the ancient Near East. Bibliography Devecchi, E., Müller, G.G.W. and Mynářová, J. (eds) (2015) Current research in cuneiform palaeography: proceedings of the workshop organised at the 60th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Warsaw 2014. Rencontre assyriologique internationale, Gladbeck: PeWe-Verlag. Devecchi, E., Mynářová, J. and Müller, G.G.W. (eds) (2019) Current Research in Cuneiform Palaeography 2: proceedings of the workshop organised at the 64th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Innsbruck 2018. Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Gladbeck: PeWe-Verlag. Mikulinsky, R., Alper, M., Gordin, S., Jiménez, E., Cohen, Y., & Averbuch-Elor, H. (2025). ProtoSnap: Prototype Alignment For Cuneiform Signs. The Thirteenth International Conference on Learning Representations. https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.00129Okumura, M. and Araujo, A.G.M. (2019) 'Archaeology, biology, and borrowing: A critical examination of Geometric Morphometrics in Archaeology', Journal of Archaeological Science, 101, pp. 149–158. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2017.09.015.