History of writing Writing systems * List of writing systems The history of writing records the development of expressing language different human civilizations, more complete writing systems were preceded by proto-writing, systems of ideographic and/or early mnemonic symbol. True writing, in which the entire content of a linguistic development, and is distinguished from proto-writing which typically * 1 Inventions of writing * 2 Writing systems + 3.2 Literature and writing + 4.1 Proto-writing + 4.2 Bronze Age writing o 4.2.8 Chinese writing + 4.3 Iron Age writing + 4.4 Writing in the Greco-Roman civilizations + 4.5 Writing during the Middle Ages * 5 Materials of writing [edit] Inventions of writing Writing numbers for record keeping began long before the writing of language. See History of writing ancient numbers for how the writing of It is generally agreed that true writing of language (not only numbers) 600 BCE. Writing used in an inscription discovered in Jiroft, Iran came It is debated whether writing were developed completely independently appearance of writing in either or both places were due to cultural diffusion (i.e. the concept of representing language using writing, if earliest attestation suggest that the idea of writing may have come to over whether the script is true writing at all, or instead some kind of proto-writing or non-linguistic sign system. writing, and if it is, whether it is yet another case of cultural diffusion of writing. The oldest example is from 1851, 139 years after Various other known cases of cultural diffusion of writing exist, where the general concept of writing was transmitted from one culture to the Pahawh Hmong system for writing the Hmong language. [edit] Writing systems Main article: Writing system Writing systems are distinguished from other possible symbolic language). However the development of writing systems, and the process has been sporadic, uneven and slow. Once established, writing systems the spoken language. The great benefit of writing systems is their of early writing,^[6] but have disagreed concerning when prehistory becomes history and when proto-writing became "true writing". The definition is largely subjective.^[7] Writing, in its most general The emergence of writing in a given area is usually followed by several texts (from the various writing systems and the systems' associated The invention of writing was not a one-time event, but a long evolution A conventional "proto-writing to true writing" system follows a general * Picture writing system: glyphs directly represent objects and ideas The best known picture writing system of ideographic and/or early In the Old World, true writing systems developed from neolithic writing (pre-cuneiform) writing and the Egyptian hieroglyphs are generally considered the earliest true writing systems, both emerging out of [edit] Literature and writing Literature and writing, though obviously connected, are not synonymous. The very first writings from ancient Sumer by any reasonable definition regimes. The history of literature begins with the history of writing millennium after the invention of writing, to the late 3rd millennium [edit] Proto-writing Main article: Proto-writing Example of the Jiahu symbols, a writing-like markings, found on The first writing systems of the Early Bronze Age were not a sudden of symbol systems that cannot be classified as writing proper, but have many characteristics strikingly similar to writing. These systems may be described as proto-writing. They used ideographic and/or early so that it is difficult to say at what point precisely writing emerges from proto-writing. Adding to this difficulty is the fact that very found on the Jiahu shells cannot be linked to early writing.^[15] of using systems of proto-writing as an intermediate stage before the adoption of writing proper. The "Slavic runes" (7th/8th century) [edit] Bronze Age writing Writing emerged in a variety of different cultures in the Bronze age. Examples include the cuneiform writing of the Sumerians, Egyptian pre-Columbian Mesoamerican writing systems (including among others writing was developed around 2000 BC for Semitic workers in the Sinai the alphabet Proto-Sinaitic alphabet). The Ge'ez writing system of The original Sumerian writing system derives from a system of clay writing using a sharp stylus to indicate what was being counted. Round-stylus and sharp-stylus writing were gradually replaced around 2700-2500 BC by writing using a wedge-shaped stylus (hence the term writing became a general purpose writing system for logograms, Hurrian, and Hittite. Scripts similar in appearance to this writing Writing was very important in maintaining the Egyptian empire, and development of writing in Egypt..."^[18] (See further Egyptian whether it should be considered an example of proto-writing (a system of symbols or similar), or if it is actual writing of the logographic-syllabic type of the other Bronze Age writing systems. Mortimer Wheeler recognises the style of writing as boustrophedon, the earliest). Linear B, the writing system of the Mycenaean overlapping, but distinct, writing systems can be summarized as Writing system Geographical area Time span^[A 1] [edit] Chinese writing Main articles: Chinese writing and Chinese characters Dynasty, most of this writing has survived on bones or on bronze. Shang (1200â1050 BCE).^[21]^[22]^[23] The writings from the Shang Main article: Mesoamerican writing systems A stone slab with 3,000-year-old writing was discovered in the Mexican Western Hemisphere preceding the oldest Zapotec writing dated to about century BC, and writing was in continuous use until shortly after the writing used logograms complemented by a set of syllabic glyphs, somewhat similar in function to modern Japanese writing. [edit] Iron Age writing alphabets. These in turn led to the writing systems used throughout [edit] Writing in the Greco-Roman civilizations variation. After first writing right to left, the Greeks eventually the rise of Rome. The Romans learned writing in about the 5th century written. English writing was uncommon, however, until the 6th century CE, when the Latin language and its writing system were brought to [edit] Writing during the Middle Ages The nature of writing has been constantly evolving, particularly due to occur through writing rather than speaking. Written communication can writing is seen as an authoritative means of communication, from legal [edit] Materials of writing Main article: Writing material most common use for the purposes of writing at start of the early writing systems.^[32] In all ages it has been customary to engrave on law written in stone, and of a subsequent writing of the law on stone. stamped coins, are mentioned as a material of writing; they include The common materials of writing were the tablet and the roll, the In Egypt the principal writing material was quite of a different sort. means for writing, the pith was taken out, and divided by a pointed might be manufactured. Writing seems to have become more widespread paper, the cost of writing material began a steady decline. Asemic writing Shorthand, Latin alphabet, writing system, ogham, Indus script, 1. ^ Peter T. Daniels, "The Study of Writing Systems", in The World's Writing Systems, ed. Bright and Daniels, p.3 Writing Systems, ed. Bright and Daniels, p.24 13. ^ Helen R. Pilcher 'Earliest handwriting found? Chinese relics hint Zhang, J. & Wang, C. 'The earliest writing? Sign use in the seventh 15. ^ Houston, Stephen D. (2004). The First Writing: Script Invention 16. ^ "Meroitic Writing System". Library.cornell.edu. 2004-04-04. http://www.library.cornell.edu/africana/Writing_Systems/Meroitic.ht 17. ^ Geoffrey Sampson, Writing Systems: a Linguistic Introduction, 19. ^ Whitehouse, David (1999) 'Earliest writing' found BBC 21. ^ William G. Boltz, Early Chinese Writing, World Archaeology, Vol. 17, No. 3, Early Writing Systems. (Feb., 1986), pp. 420â436 (436). 22. ^ David N. Keightley, "Art, Ancestors, and the Origins of Writing 23. ^ John DeFrancis: Visible Speech. The Diverse Oneness of Writing 24. ^ "Writing May Be Oldest in Western Hemisphere.". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/15/science/15writing.html. Retrieved 2008-03-30. "A stone slab bearing 3,000-year-old writing previously 25. ^ "'Oldest' New World writing found". BBC. 2006-09-14. 2008-03-30. "Ancient civilisations in Mexico developed a writing 26. ^ "Oldest Writing in the New World". Science. writing has been found in the Olmec heartland of Veracruz, Mexico. first millennium before the common era, the oldest writing in the Writing Systems (Oxford University Press). ISBN 0-19-507993-0. 33. ^ though whether to writing on lead, or filling up the hollow of the writing within; and the tablet in its cover has then been baked * Olivier, J.-P. (1986). "Cretan Writing in the Second Millennium * Powell, Barry B. 2009. Writing: Theory and History of the * Steven R. Fischer A History of Writing, Reaktion Books 2005 * Andrew Robinson, The Story of Writing, Thames & Hudson 1995 (second * Denise Schmandt-Besserat HomePage, How Writing Came About, * Jack Goody, The Logic of Writing and the Organization of Society, University Press, 1911. "Writing". * History of Writing. historian.net * Children of the Code: A Brief History of Writing â Online Video Writing systems * History of writing * Writing systems * Languages by writing system / by first written account * Undeciphered writing systems * Inventors of writing systems Types of writing systems * History of writing * Writing systems * Languages by writing system / by first written accounts * DanceWriting * SignWriting "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_writing&oldid=533 * History of writing