The study of ancient forms of writing (and the deciphering of them) WordNet 3.0 & Open English WordNet

Palaeography or paleography is the study and academic discipline of the analysis of historical writing systems, the historicity of manuscripts and texts, subsuming deciphering and dating of historical manuscripts, including the analysis of historic handwriting, signification and printed media. Wikipedia

Study of ancient writing Wikidata

The study of old or ancient forms of writing. Wiktionary

Study of old forms of writing. Wiktionary (translation)