Chapter The Thin Line Between mise en page and mise en abyme: An Examination of the Layout of Multiple Letters on Papyrus (1st-6th Centuries CE)
Although letters are probably the most intensively studied type of documents in papyrology, their material and visual aspects have received little scholarly attention. Yet, in recent years there has been a noticeably growing interest in these aspects and their relation to the content of documents. A...
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Firenze University Press
2025
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| Accés en línia: | ONIX_20250801T173835_9791221504569_329 |
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| _version_ | 1869521439795707904 |
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| author | Amory, Yasmine |
| author_browse | Amory, Yasmine |
| author_facet | Amory, Yasmine |
| author_sort | Amory, Yasmine |
| collection | Directory of Open Access Books |
| description | Although letters are probably the most intensively studied type of documents in papyrology, their material and visual aspects have received little scholarly attention. Yet, in recent years there has been a noticeably growing interest in these aspects and their relation to the content of documents. Among the many examples of preserved letters, this chapter examines the formal features of one specific communication practice, namely the penning of multiple messages on a single support (papyrus, ostracon, or wooden tablet). This practice, which allowed the letter writer to save paper and time, since letters could easily encounter delays or never make it to their final destination, usually involved one individual addressing a group of people living together or in proximity, or a group of close individuals addressing the same person. Personal and social reasons could also come into play in choosing a single writing medium. The examination of this group of texts shows that multiple letters could be arranged according to four different types of layout: (1) by placing one message on top of another; (2) side by side; (3) by using the two faces of the writing medium; or (4) by shaping them into a single letter, in what I suggest we call the “shell letter.” By discussing each of these visual arrangements, this chapter investigates the reasons that may have led the scribe to prefer one layout to another, as well as the relationship between text, layout, and correspondents. |
| format | Online |
| id | doab-20.500.12854ir-163521 |
| institution | Directory of Open Access Books |
| language | eng |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Firenze University Press |
| publisherStr | Firenze University Press |
| record_format | ojs |
| spelling | doab-20.500.12854ir-1635212025-08-02T05:13:34Z Chapter The Thin Line Between mise en page and mise en abyme: An Examination of the Layout of Multiple Letters on Papyrus (1st-6th Centuries CE) Amory, Yasmine papyrology multiple letters communication practices layout “shell letter.” Although letters are probably the most intensively studied type of documents in papyrology, their material and visual aspects have received little scholarly attention. Yet, in recent years there has been a noticeably growing interest in these aspects and their relation to the content of documents. Among the many examples of preserved letters, this chapter examines the formal features of one specific communication practice, namely the penning of multiple messages on a single support (papyrus, ostracon, or wooden tablet). This practice, which allowed the letter writer to save paper and time, since letters could easily encounter delays or never make it to their final destination, usually involved one individual addressing a group of people living together or in proximity, or a group of close individuals addressing the same person. Personal and social reasons could also come into play in choosing a single writing medium. The examination of this group of texts shows that multiple letters could be arranged according to four different types of layout: (1) by placing one message on top of another; (2) side by side; (3) by using the two faces of the writing medium; or (4) by shaping them into a single letter, in what I suggest we call the “shell letter.” By discussing each of these visual arrangements, this chapter investigates the reasons that may have led the scribe to prefer one layout to another, as well as the relationship between text, layout, and correspondents. 2025-08-02T05:13:33Z 2025-08-02T05:13:33Z 2025-08-01T16:01:16Z 2024 chapter ONIX_20250801T173835_9791221504569_329 2612-7997 https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/104879 9791221504569 https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/163521 eng Edizioni dell’Istituto Papirologico «G. Vitelli» open access image/jpeg Attribution 4.0 International https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/20.500.12657/104879/1/43359.pdf Firenze University Press 10.36253/979-12-215-0456-9.08 10.36253/979-12-215-0456-9.08 2ec4474d-93b1-4cfa-b313-9c6019b51b1a 9791221504569 19 Florence open access |
| spellingShingle | papyrology multiple letters communication practices layout “shell letter.” Amory, Yasmine Chapter The Thin Line Between mise en page and mise en abyme: An Examination of the Layout of Multiple Letters on Papyrus (1st-6th Centuries CE) |
| title | Chapter The Thin Line Between mise en page and mise en abyme: An Examination of the Layout of Multiple Letters on Papyrus (1st-6th Centuries CE) |
| title_full | Chapter The Thin Line Between mise en page and mise en abyme: An Examination of the Layout of Multiple Letters on Papyrus (1st-6th Centuries CE) |
| title_fullStr | Chapter The Thin Line Between mise en page and mise en abyme: An Examination of the Layout of Multiple Letters on Papyrus (1st-6th Centuries CE) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chapter The Thin Line Between mise en page and mise en abyme: An Examination of the Layout of Multiple Letters on Papyrus (1st-6th Centuries CE) |
| title_short | Chapter The Thin Line Between mise en page and mise en abyme: An Examination of the Layout of Multiple Letters on Papyrus (1st-6th Centuries CE) |
| title_sort | chapter the thin line between mise en page and mise en abyme an examination of the layout of multiple letters on papyrus 1st 6th centuries ce |
| topic | papyrology multiple letters communication practices layout “shell letter.” |
| topic_facet | papyrology multiple letters communication practices layout “shell letter.” |
| url | ONIX_20250801T173835_9791221504569_329 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT amoryyasmine chapterthethinlinebetweenmiseenpageandmiseenabymeanexaminationofthelayoutofmultiplelettersonpapyrus1st6thcenturiesce |