SUMMARY OF PHILOLOGICAL  ARTICLES In addition to the genetic classification of languages given above (on pp . 426-429), some further guidance as to the actual headings under which the philological section is arranged may be of service to the student . The pivot of the whole section is the article ALPHABET, which traces the history of language and writing to the earliest stages, embodying the results of archaeological studies in all countries, together with the general conclusions based thereon . In this article (with further details under CRETE) will be found an account of the controversy regarding the Cretan discoveries of Dr A . J . Evans . Supplementary to this comparative survey are the articles PALAEOGRAPHY, INSCRIPTIONS, WRITING and PHONETICS . The first two deal with ancient documents of all kinds: PALAEOGRAPHY with those specimens of ancient writing, literary, economic or legal, which were committed to codices, tablets or rolls by the use of the stilus, the reed or the pen; INSCRIPTIONS with documents engraved on stone or metal .