Why does the book begin with many pages which have long lists of what looks like Roman numbering but in another alphabet? i.e. same word but with more i's at th

Why does the book begin with many pages which have long lists of what looks like Roman numbering but in another alphabet? i.e. same word but with more i's at the end? It's not actually text. Only later does any actual text begin. Is it some form of a table of contents?