copying close below the line of inscription.

If the signs are in an alphabet that is not familiar, refer to the
table of alphabets.

Sculpture
Sculpture in low relief can be copied best by dry squeeze. As the
connexion of the sheets used should be exact, put up the first sheet
truly vertical, and mark little pencil crosses at the corners on the
stone. Then the corners of successive sheets should be fitted into
the angles of the crosses. When inking in the pencil drawings, do not
carry the lines within two inches of the edges of the sheets. Then
place sheets edge to edge, adjust them to fit as best they may,
weight them heavily with books, turn back one edge and weight it, and
then slip a strip of wetted adhesive paper half-way under the edge
that is down; at once liberate the edge that is up, and dab (not rub)
both heavily down on the adhesive. This makes a joint free of
cockling, and when dry the inking can be completed across the joint.
Where there is any colour remaining on sculpture or inscription, only
dry squeezing is permissible.

Where signs are worn or decayed it is needful to try various
lighting. This can be done in the open air, by shading the part by
the hands placed around it as a sort of tube, the head blocking out
the light over the tube. Then quickly raise a hand alternately, so as
to reverse the oblique lighting, and watch the effect on the sign.

If the stone has not too tender a face, careful washing often brings
out an inscription; and in such cases it is usually far easier to
copy from a wet than from a dry stone.