Clay Court Relics

There is a new world number one, and his name is not Jeb Anders. Ranked eleven in the world, Jeb celebrates his twentieth birthday with his family and friends, but celebrating is hardly what he needs. By his own choice, Jeb has not played a match in months, and although he longs to be out on the court doing what he loves, Jeb lacks the zeal to train and questions his place in the ever-changing world of tennis. He eventually resumes his quest for the one thing he craves most'his first slam. Winning Roland Garros will not be easy. But when secrets of a past in Paris are revealed, Jeb discovers he is on a quest for more than just a grand slam title.

Written artefacts are traditionally studied because of their content. Material aspects of these artefacts enrich the study of ancient history in many ways. Eleven case studies in five sections on the ancient world, including the Near East, Egypt, the Mediterranean, China and India, demonstrate the impact of a holistic approach that considers materiality and content alike. Following an introductory sketch of relevant research, the first section, 'Methodological Considerations', critically examines the limitations the evidence available imposes on our understanding. 'Early Uses of Writing' addresses material and spatial aspects of inscriptions, and their communicative functions over the textual ones. The third section, 'Material Features', deals with clay, wooden and papyrus manuscripts and demonstrates the importance of an integrated approach. The contributions to 'Co-presence of Written Artefacts' take into account that written artefacts come in clusters. The final section, 'Cultural Encounters', presents studies on the interactions between social strata and ethnic groups, challenging previous ideas. The volume contributes to the comparative study of written artefacts in ancient history, stimulating cross-disciplinary and -cultural research.

This collection, presented to Michael Friedrich in honour of his academic career at of the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures, traces key concepts that scholars associated with the Centre have developed and refined for the systematic study of manuscript cultures. At the same time, the contributions showcase the possibilities of expanding the traditional subject of ‘manuscripts’ to the larger perspective of ‘written artefacts’.