The Meroitic Language and Writing System

Claude Rilly (1) , Alex de Voogt

1 LLACAN - Langage, LAngues et Cultures d'Afrique Noire

This book provides an introduction to the Meroitic language and writing system, which was used between circa 300 BC and AD 400 in the Kingdom of Meroe, located in what is now Sudan and Egyptian Nubia. This book details advances in the understanding of Meroitic, a language that until recently was considered untranslatable. In addition to providing a full history of the script and an analysis of the phonology, grammar, and linguistic affiliation of the language, it features linguistic analyses for those working on Nilo-Saharan comparative linguistics, paleographic tables useful to archaeologists for dating purposes, and an overview of texts that can be translated or understood by way of analogy for those working on Nubian religion, history, and archaeology.

Mots clés: méroïtique linguistique épigraphie comparatisme soudan

Domaines: Linguistique; Archéologie et Préhistoire

Claude Rilly, Alex de Voogt. The Meroitic Language and Writing System. 2012, 978-1-107-00866-3. ⟨halshs-01482445⟩