allografia

One script for two languages. Latin & Arabic in an early allographic papyrus

This contribution presents a unique papyrus letter in Latin script and Latin language and in Latin script and Arabic language that is possible to date, on palaeographic grounds, from the end of the 7th to the 9th century AD. This precious witness is exam- ined under the historical, graphical, linguistic and cultural point of view and its prove- nance is discussed accordingly. An edition of the whole text is provided and a number of correspondences in Arabic are suggested.

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