Papyrology is the study of ancient papyri, which are documents written on papyrus. Synonyms for papyrology include paleography, which is the study of ancient handwriting, epigraphy, which is the study of ancient inscriptions on hard materials such as stone, and codicology, which is the study of ancient books. Other synonyms include philology, which is the study of language in written historical sources, and archaeology, which involves the excavation and interpretation of artifacts from ancient cultures. Collectively, these fields of study provide important insights into the history, language, and literature of ancient cultures, and help us to understand the development of human civilization.