Research Poster

Ancient Curse Tablets

This project is all about exploring how early writing systems, specifically Greco-Roman curse tablets, played a role in society and how they compare to more refined Roman scripts.

  • Adobe Illustrator

  • Adobe Indesign

Museum display about Greco-Roman curse tablets from the 2nd to 4th century AD, with descriptive text and images of the tablets. A person walks past the display.

Brand Statement: This project is all about exploring how early writing systems, specifically Greco-Roman curse tablets, played a role in society and how they compare to more refined Roman scripts. While they might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about "graphic design," these tablets are actually a fascinating example of how people used writing to communicate, influence, and even manipulate their world. The goal was to highlight their significance as an early form of visual communication, showing how even the simplest inscriptions had power and purpose.

Target Audience: This project was designed for both history lovers and design enthusiasts—people curious about how writing evolved and why something as crude as a scratched lead tablet still matters today. By looking at the way these inscriptions were created and used, this project connects the dots between ancient writing and modern typography, proving that communication has always been about more than just fancy lettering.

The Challenge: Curse tablets don’t exactly fit the traditional idea of elegant Roman script. They were rough, hastily written, and often full of misspellings—yet they were incredibly important to the people who made them. The challenge here was to present them in a way that didn’t just make them look like random old artifacts but instead highlighted their role in history and their connection to the evolution of writing and design.

The Process: To bring this project to life, I dug into research on how and why these tablets were made, what they looked like, and how they fit into the broader world of Roman writing.

The Outcome: This project takes something obscure (curse tablets) and makes them accessible, interesting, and visually engaging. It highlights their role in the evolution of writing while also showing how even the most basic forms of inscription had meaning and impact. In the end, it proves that graphic design isn’t just about what looks good; it’s about how people use written language to express themselves, no matter the time period.

Infographic titled 'What role do curse tablets play in society and culture and how does the writing on simple tablets compare to more sophisticated examples of Roman writing?' It includes sections on ancient writing styles, role in culture and society, and how to make modern curse tablets. There are images of ancient curse tablets with inscriptions and captions describing their purposes.