Automatic Identification of the Writer of Ancient Greek Inscriptions, Employing Methods of Computer Engineering and Mathematics

Abstract

Automatic handwriting identification/classification is a major problem in graphology analysis. In this chapter the authors present an automated writer identification system applied to ancient Greek inscriptions. The need of such a system which classifies the hands that carved the inscriptions is important, because it helps scholars to date these inscriptions and deduce proper historical conclusions. The proposed system consists of two different and quasi complementary approaches. The first approach is based on pattern recognition methods in order to help us compute an ideal representative (platonic prototype) of each letter symbol in every inscription. Next, pair wise comparisons, based on statistical criteria, are made and the final decision for the classification of the inscriptions to the corresponding hands, is taken. The second approach also uses statistical criteria to accept/reject statistical hypotheses; nevertheless this methodology employs geometric characteristics of all letters in hand and computes specific values in order to make the decision for the writer identification. Both methods were applied to 33 ancient Athenian inscriptions of the classical era and offered 100% correct classification into 8 different hands. The combination of the application of both approaches and the fact that their results are consistent in themselves and agree with prominent epigraphists’ opinion, show that the system may substantially contribute to ancient inscriptions’ dating, in a robust and reliable manner.