TabulaRasa. Clay, wax, and the impact of erasable writing technologies on manuscript cultures

Introduction

TabulaRasa takes the use of clay and wax tablets in the Ancient Near East, the Classical world, and Medieval to Early Modern Europe as the centerpiece of a comprehensive exploration of the role of rewritability in manuscript cultures. Across diverse societies, the recycling of written surfaces proves not only desirable but essential in contexts such as education, note-taking, literary creation, economy, and administration.

Implications of Rewritability

Its profound implications range from palaeographic developments to the acquisition of writing, memorization and composition practices, and aspects of data storage, information overload, and resource recycling that persist to this day. Throughout history, the challenge of devising techniques for effortless reuse has sparked a wealth of clever solutions.

Paradigmatic Examples

Among these, clay and wax tablets can be considered paradigmatic: they played a key role in the history of writing from the third millennium BCE up to modern times, enabling effortless, unlimited rewriting without the need to add or subtract material. TabulaRasa takes them as a benchmark for an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural exploration of rewritability.

Methodology

It integrates codicology, palaeography, and the study of manuscript cultures into a holistic historical framework, combining the study of original artifacts, material analysis, and experimentation.

Primary Objectives

The primary objectives encompass:

1. A codicological understanding of clay and wax tablets as material objects.
2. Deciphering the biomechanics of inkless writing on clay and wax and its implications for palaeographic developments in cuneiform and Latin script.
3. Comprehending the role of erasable media in key historical contexts.

Comparative Analysis

Complementing these integrated lines of inquiry, TabulaRasa will broaden its gaze to include a comparative analysis of rewriting practices. This will add historical depth to ongoing research on e-ink and environmental sustainability, providing a breakthrough in the understanding of a fundamental aspect of writing practices past and present.