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Off topic: Inscriptions on Ancient Architecture - Coptic, Greek, Hebrew???
Thread poster: klages
klages
klages
May 15, 2012

Hi!
Acquired some ancient architectural salvage pieces. Have what appears to be inscriptions of language that looks like Coptic, Greek, or Hebrew.
Would appreciate any insights on what language it is

Pictures at...



http://www.flickr.com/photos/78618890@N07/7202870774/in/photostream/


Thanks!
... See more
Hi!
Acquired some ancient architectural salvage pieces. Have what appears to be inscriptions of language that looks like Coptic, Greek, or Hebrew.
Would appreciate any insights on what language it is

Pictures at...



http://www.flickr.com/photos/78618890@N07/7202870774/in/photostream/


Thanks!
WPK ▲ Collapse
 
Evangelia Mouma
Evangelia Mouma  Identity Verified
Greece
Local time: 05:02
English to Greek
+ ...
Not Greek May 16, 2012

One of the 3 options is excluded.
 
Ty Kendall
Ty Kendall  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:02
Hebrew to English
Not Hebrew May 16, 2012

Cross that one off your list too.

I must say that whilst two look like the same language, the third looks completely different (and whose horizontal line along the top is reminiscent of Devangari [and other Indic] scripts). So maybe you need to go a bit more East for your answers.

[Edited at 2012-05-16 08:21 GMT]
 
Philippe Etienne
Philippe Etienne  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 06:02
Member
English to French
Looks like some Asian writing May 16, 2012

Ty Kendall wrote:
...So maybe you need to go a bit more East for your answers.

With these horizontal lines on top of "letters", it looks to me like Cambodian, Laotian, Thai or some Indian language.
But I am not a specialist and don't know any writing other than Greek, Arabic and Cyrillic.

Philippe
 
Alison Sabedoria (X)
Alison Sabedoria (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
French to English
+ ...
I agree wth Ty and Philippe May 16, 2012

There are some examples of Indic scripts here: http://sites.google.com/site/ocropus/languages/devanagari-hindi-sanskrit

I don't know enough to help any further with the script, though this style of open-work stone carving is certainly common in India.
 
Gennady Lapardin
Gennady Lapardin  Identity Verified
Russian Federation
Local time: 07:02
Italian to Russian
+ ...
Hindi May 16, 2012

modern or ancient. A collegue from India should give final opinion. To me, looks like modern.

[Edited at 2012-05-16 10:09 GMT]
 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 06:02
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Some form of Hindi... perhaps May 16, 2012

The (apparently) continuous line on top seems to be very revealing, but I see another possibility: some runic script?

I wonder whether the author could tell us where the pieces were acquired? That might help delimiting the matter a bit.
 
klages
klages
TOPIC STARTER
where did they come from... May 16, 2012

We were told that the antique dealer from which these were acquired ships from the middle east
Thanks
 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 06:02
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Just in case May 16, 2012

May I ask something really stupid? For the two pictures in which an oval part is depicted with the script on the bottom, are you sure that is the right orientation? It seems to conflict a bit with the way the script is positioned in the picture with the script in a straight bar. Could you perhaps upload two more pictures of the scripts in the oval, just turned around?
 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 06:02
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Devanagari? May 16, 2012

Ty Kendall wrote:
I must say that whilst two look like the same language, the third looks completely different (and whose horizontal line along the top is reminiscent of Devangari [and other Indic] scripts).

After checking Akira Nakanishi's very interesting Writing systems of the world, I also tend to think that this is Devanagari, i.e. from India...
 
klages
klages
TOPIC STARTER
overwhelming number of responses...thanks! May 16, 2012

All...
I have added two more pics of the complete pieces so that you get the whole context of the architecture. I have been advised that these pieces might have been parapets from ancient structures. Each panel is about 36x18 and is extremely heavy 65 lbs each!! The stone is like a slate with a very heavy iron content

Thanks again to everyone who has responded!
Bill
... See more
All...
I have added two more pics of the complete pieces so that you get the whole context of the architecture. I have been advised that these pieces might have been parapets from ancient structures. Each panel is about 36x18 and is extremely heavy 65 lbs each!! The stone is like a slate with a very heavy iron content

Thanks again to everyone who has responded!
Bill

link with additional photos...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78618890@N07/sets/72157629739661158/ ▲ Collapse
 


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Inscriptions on Ancient Architecture - Coptic, Greek, Hebrew???






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