TabulaRasa. Clay, wax, and the impact of erasable writing technologies on manuscript cultures

2026-07-22

TabulaRasa takes the use of clay and wax tablets in the Ancient Near East, the Classical world, and Medieval to Early Modern Europe as the centerpiece of a comprehensive exploration of the role of rewritability in manuscript cultures. Across diverse societies, the recycling of written surfaces proves not only desirable but essential in contexts such as education, note-taking, literary creation, economy and administration. Its profound implications range from palaeographic developments to the acquisition of writing, memorization and composition practices, and aspects of data storage, information overload and resource recycling that persist to this day. Throughout history, the challenge of devising techniques for effortless reuse has sparked a wealth of clever solutions. Among these, clay and wax tablets can be considered paradigmatic: they played a key role in the history of writing from the third millennium BCE up to modern times, enabling effortless, unlimited rewriting without the need to add or subtract material. TabulaRasa takes them as a benchmark for an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural exploration of rewritability. It integrates codicology, palaeography and the study of manuscript cultures into a holistic historical framework, combining study of original artifacts, material analysis and experimentation. The primary objectives encompass a codicological understanding of clay and wax tablets as material objects, deciphering the biomechanics of inkless writing on clay and wax and its implications for palaeographic developments in cuneiform and Latin script, and comprehending the role of erasable media in key historical contexts. Complementing these integrated lines of inquiry, TabulaRasa will broaden its gaze to include a comparative analysis of re-writing practices, adding historical depth to ongoing research on e-ink and environmental sustainability, and providing a breakthrough in the understanding of a fundamental aspect of writing practices past and present.

Italy

2025-11-01