Boustrophedonic

/ˌbaʊstrəfɪˈdɒnɪk/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or written in the style of ancient writing where lines alternate direction, going left-to-right and right-to-left alternately.

Etymology

From Greek 'boustrophedon,' literally 'ox-turning,' from 'bous' (ox) and 'strophe' (turning), describing how an ox plows back and forth across a field.

Kelly Says

Boustrophedon writing appears in some of the earliest Greek inscriptions—readers would get dizzy following the alternating directions, but the visual patterning is beautiful and shows how ancient peoples literally thought about writing direction differently than we do.

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