Boustrophedon writing is a technique that consists in not starting every line over from the same side: the hand goes from left to right, then very logically from right to left on the next line, then again from left to right on the next line and so on. Boustrophedon was mostly used in ancient times. Given the fact that our ancestors often used this technique before eventually deciding to write all lines only in one direction or the other, it seems to be some first natural way of writing.
Why not try boustrophedon writing yourself ?
You can yourself try to write this way in your own language. The technique is simple. You just do as oxen do when they plow fields : when arrived at the end of a line, you turn and go the other way. That's what the Greek etymology of the word says: ‘bous' means ‘ox' and ‘strophe' means ‘to turn'.
If you usually write from left to right, as in English, remember to respect the order of the letters, not only of the words, when you go in the other way, from right to left. The letters of those lines should be written in mirror; they shouldn't face to the right anymore, but to the left. It's more difficult to write the letters in this unusual way, but (I have tried both ways) it's easier to read.
While you're at it, you can make it even more difficult and write in reverse boustrophedon, that is, you not only turn the letters so that they face to the left, but you also turn them upside down. Do this over a few paragraphs and you'll have done your brain exercices for the day !
Or, or … you can let dCode do it for you ! Here is a very nice (and free) little tool that will write in boustrophedon for you.
You type your text in the box entitled ‘Message to crypt/decrypt in Boustrophedon', you click on ‘Transform by boustrophedon' and you see your text in boustrophedon writing ! To be noted: you have to write at least two lines for the dCode tool to show you the second line going the other way.
It was the way before
A long time ago, those reverse and upside-down mental skills were mastered by quite a few peoples. Very old latin writings for example were written in boustrophedon. Others were found written in the Etruscan language.
On Easter Island in 1864, Hyppolite Roussel, a missionary, found wooden tablets with a writing on them that the local people, the Rapanui, call Kohau Rongo Rongo (‘talking wood pieces'). This rongorongo writing is still not deciphered, but it does follow the boustrophedon way for sure.
So as to finish this (non-exhaustive) list, I absolutely have to mention the code of laws that was carved in the stone of a public building in Gortyn, on the island of Crete. In the nineteenth century, parts of it were discovered one after the other : they had been used to erect columns. The wall was reconstructed and the law code written in an Ancient Greek dialect and in boustrophedon could be read … without the need to walk back every time to the beginning of the wall to start reading the next line.
Why was Boustrophedon used by ancient people? What was the main purpose behind this style of writing?
Hello Nishtha,
First, thank you very much for your question! You’re the first ever to ask one on my website and it’s a pleasure for me to try to answer you.
The main purpose behind this style of writing most probably was that it was natural to the mind to write like that. Children from our modern times sometimes write in boustrophedon without having been taught to do so. Some thus say that it must have been the same for adults when they started to invent writing. As kids still do nowadays, they chose to write in this manner because it felt natural to the mind to start the next line just under the end of the last one. After some time though (counted in centuries on the scale of history), they must have decided that it was easier to write only in one direction and not do the mental gym anymore at every other line. So in short, ancient people surely used boustrophedon because it just seemed natural to do so. There was no major purpose behind it, just an inclination of the mind.
Thanks! Was looking up boustrophedon and this was very helpful
A pleasure Jess, thank you for reading !
I have this ability to write in cursive this way. It’s nothing I had to learn it’s just how it comes out of my brain onto paper. With my right hand I go from left to right fluently and using my left hand it automatically writes right to left fluently without thinking about it. Didn’t know this was a technique used long ago so I found this read very interesting
Hey Jennifer,
You must have kept your natural, innate skills from childhood. Maybe you’re not the only one in your family who can do that ? At least, yes, now you know it’s coming from somewhere. Bravo anyway ! That’s a neat skill !
Thank you for your article. My granddaughter started to read and write in Nursery, she wrote to the left and at the end of the line she will carry on from the right to the left and so on. It came naturally to her. We did not know there was a name for it.
Wow, how nice Humberto ! Thank you for sharing this. Have you thought about taking a little video of your granddaughter writing like that ? That’s for sure something she will want to see later on.
Thank you for showing me a tangible example in English.
I think this would be a useful exercise in cognitive rehab therapy FOR BRAin injuries. I will share this with my rehab institute.
Oh, thank you GY !
I’ve added an image and modified a little my article after reading your comment. If you want to create examples in English yourself, don’t hesitate to go to dCode for that !
Is there a record saying the exact era when boustrophedon writing was used?
Hello Mortifera,
Your question is very good. I should even modify my article to incorporate a few dates. Give me a little time before I answer though. I’m working on a lot of other stuff right now and I want to take my time to give you a good answer.
Thank you !
if im not wrong, it was in ancient Greek. :)
Thank you for this helpful example, I stumbled across this historical phenomena in a fascinating book, The Master and His Emissary, by Iain McGilchrist. If your still interested in the research re: boustrophedon, you can check out an article by Joseph Naveh “The Origin of the Greek Alphabet”, see chapter 5 in the book The Alphabet and the Brain: the Lateralization of Writing which you can access for free here:
https://archive.org/details/alphabetbrai00deke