In general, the term epigraphy refers to the study of epigraphs (inscriptions and quotations), especially of ancient inscriptions found on buildings or statues. Within the realm of the video essay, the term epigraphic indicates those essays that use on-screen text (rather than voice over narration or no textual component at all) to relay their reasoning.

The specific form that these on-screen texts take can vary greatly, from subtle subtitling to captioning that spans the screen.

Watch some examples of epigraphic video essays from our best practices section.