A common belief is that systems of writing are committed to transparency and precise records of sound. The target is the language behind such marks. Readers, no

This book zeroes in on hidden writing and alternative systems of graphic notation, exploring writings that deflect attention from language.

Traditionally, writing--a graphic, multidimensional form of communication--has been approached as a vehicle for representing, and therefore conveying, the spoke

Within every picture is a hidden language that conveys a message, whether it is intended or not. This language is based on the ways people perceive and process

This volume illustrates how the epigraphic habit is ubiquitous but variously expressed. Inscriptions become part of the fabric of Greek and Roman culture.