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History vocabulary · Sources and Archives

Palimpsest

Meaning in history, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In history, palimpsest means: A writing surface reused after earlier writing was erased or removed, sometimes leaving recoverable traces.

In Turkish: palimpsest, silinip yeniden yazılmış yazma

How it is used

In manuscript study, distinguish the earlier and later writing; use the metaphorical sense cautiously.

Example sentences

  1. Imaging revealed an older legal text beneath the prayers in the palimpsest.

    Reuse creates layers of writing on one physical support.

  2. The catalogue dates the two scripts of the palimpsest separately.

    The age of the surface does not date every writing layer equally.

Common collocations

  • a manuscript palimpsest
  • read a palimpsest
  • manuscriptA book or document written by hand, especially one produced before printing became common; also an author's text before it is published.
  • provenanceThe origin of a document or object and the record of who has owned or kept it since it was made, used to judge whether it is genuine and lawfully held.

More terms: Sources and Archives

Practise with graded reading

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