Rubenstein Assignment
(1) Register at the Rubenstein on-line. Follow this link to register.
(2) Download this document:
cribiore_ductus.pdf
and print it out. This shows how Greek schoolchildren were taught to make Greek letters. Get out a piece of paper and practice writing each form of each letter at least thrice, using the numbers and arrows as your guide to the sequence and strokes. (This is known as the ductus of the letters. Most letters have two or three ductus.) Scribes of course do things more prettily, but the way they form letters is based on these schoolroom exercises.
(3) Schedule time to go to the Rubenstein, and at the desk ask for p.Duk.inv. 232, which is on reserve for our class. (If everyone waits to the last minute, you will have a hard time seeing the item, since everyone else will be there.) Note that the Rubenstein is not open Friday evening, Saturday morning, or Sunday. Spend at least 45 minutes studying the item on reserve (a proper job may take an hour or more), which is p.Duk.inv. 232. The item is a wooden board with writing. Transcribe onto paper what you can read, and think about what this tells you about the function and context of the artefact. This is a kind of riddle, so think (as well as look) hard. You can consult any resource EXCEPT the catalogue and publication for this inventory item; and it’s perfectly okay to discuss among yourselves. You will hand in the alphabet from #2 and the transcription from #3.