BBC: Family history-2

There's what you might call the 'gateway ancestor'- and the idea of history and genealogy is that's normally somebody that is so well documented that their descendants are well known- in England it's something like Edward 3. And we're all probably descended from Edward 3. Is it nice to have royal ancestors? Well, millions of people are descended from Edward 3, and so in that sense, that's where the connection might be. So the chances are an awful lot of people are distantly connected to each other. 

Else Churchill says it's likely that millions of us are distantly related to a gateway ancestor like King Edward 3 of England. And that means that all those people related to Edward 3 are also distantly related to each other. So it seems that paying a company a hundred dollars to reveal that you're related to Edward 3 is a waste of money. 

Yes, in the sense that it's you and millions of other people. And in fact, we're all related to each other somehow, via Edward 3 or someone else. 

And another popular finding for British people is to say that you're descended from the Vikings, and again this is true for many people so it isn't particularly meaningful. 

If you're descended from a person or a group it means they are among your ancestors. 

Now, remember I asked: what's the name for the study of ancient handwriting? Is it...

a) Scriptography    b) Palaeography    or   c) Scribology?

I said a) Scriptography. And I'm pretty confident that's the right answer. 

Well, Neil, you're pretty confident but unfortunately it was wrong! The correct answer is b)Palaeography. Palaeography is the study of ancient and historical handwriting, including the practice of deciphering, reading, and dating historical manuscripts.