Epigraphy in 2017

Epigraphy as a discipline has evolved greatly over the centuries. Many epigraphists in the last 20 years have been investigating how to use digital technology to advance their research, but until the present decade, these undertakings were restrained by aspects of the technology. The late 1990s will be seen as a watershed moment in the transition from print-based to born-digital epigraphic publication. At present, the majority of new editions are still published solely in print, but by 2017 we believe this circumstance will change drastically. The history of epigraphy makes it quite clear that such transitions are natural to the discipline.