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How does epigraphy differ from paleography?

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Neo-Assyrian clay tablet from the 7th century BC inscribed with dense cuneiform writing, known as the Flood Tablet from the Epic of Gilgamesh, displayed in the British Museum. — epigraphy The Flood Tablet, 11th cuneiform tablet in a series relating the Gilgamesh epic, from Nineveh, 7th century bce; in the British Museum, London.

Epigraphy and paleography are distinct but related disciplines within historical scholarship. The primary difference lies in the medium of the writing being studied:

Epigraphy is the study of inscriptions recorded on hard or durable materials, such as stone, metal, pottery, or clay. It focuses on firsthand records, often intended for monumental display or archival purposes, providing essential data for understanding ancient civilizations.123
Paleography is the study of ancient and medieval handwriting, typically found on perishable materials like papyrus, parchment, and paper. It is primarily concerned with analyzing scribal hands, writing styles, and the evolution of scripts, such as Greek and Latin.43

While their focuses differ, the fields overlap; for instance, paleography is significant for dating epigraphic documents, and both disciplines are vital for the accurate reading, dating, and localization of historical texts.43