7 The direction of Greek writing

Session 3 introduced two features of ancient Greek writing that differ from later practice: the exclusive use of capitals and the absence of spaces. Another difference is the direction of the writing, which was initially quite flexible. The Phoenician script on which Greek was based was written from right to left. Many languages follow the same direction today, including Hebrew, a close relative of Phoenician. In the earliest examples of Greek writing, right-to-left and left-to-right are both found, sometimes within the same piece of writing. It was during the fifth century BCE that the direction of left-to-right began to dominate.

These two boundary stones from Athens contain the same text written in different directions. The text on the left-hand stone begins at the top right and runs from right to left, then top to bottom. The words on the right-hand stone begin at the top left, run from left to right, and continue from top to bottom. You will return to the meaning of the stones in Session 7. For the moment, focus on the way the letters are written.

Maximise

Figure 3 Athenian boundary stones

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Two drawings in black on a white background. On the left, a drawing of an upright rectangular stone. The top edge of the stone is chipped and uneven. A line of ancient Greek text runs backwards from the top right corner of the stone, along the top and down the left side. The text reads ΗΟΡΟΣΕΙΜΙΤΕΣΑΓΟΡΑΣ. The rest of the stone is covered in marks indicating a rough surface. On the right, a similar but slightly taller stone with a straight top edge. A line of ancient Greek text runs from the top left corner, along the top and down the right side. The text reads ΗΟΡΟΣΕΙΜΙΤΕΣΑΓΟΡΑΣ.

Figure 3 Athenian boundary stones