Paleography n. : An ancient manner of writing; ancient writings, collectively; as, Punic paleography.

Paleography n. : The study of ancient inscriptions and modes of writing; the art or science of deciphering ancient writings, and determining their origin, period, etc., from external characters; diplomatics.

Example:
My main interest is dead languages/Paleography...what kind of career should I go into?

Taxonomy
Palaeography, Indian palaeography, handwriting, language, palaeographer, Latin palaeography, free encyclopedia, manuscript, Greek palaeography, medieval scripts, Latin Paleography, how to, abbreviations, Antiquity, variants, Carolingian minuscule, must know, Further reading.

Defination from the web:
paleography, παλαιός palaiós, "old" and γράφειν graphein, "to write") is the study of ancient handwriting and the ... Fernando De Lasala, Exercise of Latin Paleography (Gregorian University Rome, 2006) p. 7. ...