Key Early Writing Systems to Know

Early writing systems were crucial for the development of civilizations. They allowed societies to record information, communicate ideas, and preserve culture. From Sumerian cuneiform to Egyptian hieroglyphs, these scripts shaped the way people interacted and organized their worlds.

1. Cuneiform

   • Developed by the Sumerians around 3200 BCE in Mesopotamia.
   • Utilized wedge-shaped marks made on clay tablets with a stylus.
   • Initially used for record-keeping and administrative purposes, later expanded to literature and law.

2. Egyptian Hieroglyphs

   • Originated around 3100 BCE in ancient Egypt, combining logographic and alphabetic elements.
   • Used for religious texts, monumental inscriptions, and administrative documents.
   • Comprised over 700 symbols, including phonetic signs and ideograms.

3. Chinese Oracle Bone Script

   • Emerged around 1200 BCE during the Shang Dynasty in China.
   • Inscribed on animal bones and turtle shells for divination purposes.
   • Represents one of the earliest forms of Chinese writing, laying the foundation for modern Chinese characters.

4. Mesoamerican Writing Systems (Maya and Aztec)

   • The Maya developed a complex system of hieroglyphs around 300 BCE, used for recording history, astronomy, and rituals.
   • The Aztec writing system, primarily pictographic, was used for codices and religious texts.
   • Both systems reflect the rich cultural and political life of their respective civilizations.

5. Proto-Elamite Script

   • Used in ancient Elam (modern-day Iran) around 3200-2700 BCE.
   • Considered one of the earliest writing systems, primarily for administrative and economic records.
   • Still largely undeciphered, it consists of pictographic symbols and signs.

6. Indus Valley Script

   • Found in the Indus Valley Civilization (circa 2600-1900 BCE), primarily on seals and pottery.
   • Composed of short inscriptions, the script remains undeciphered, limiting our understanding of the civilization.
   • Likely used for trade and administrative purposes.

7. Linear A and Linear B

   • Linear A (circa 1800-1450 BCE) was used by the Minoans and remains undeciphered.
   • Linear B (circa 1450-1200 BCE) was used by the Mycenaeans and is the earliest form of Greek writing, primarily for administrative records.
   • Both scripts reflect the administrative complexity of their respective societies.

8. Phoenician Alphabet

   • Developed around 1200 BCE by the Phoenicians, it is one of the first alphabets to use symbols for individual sounds.
   • Influenced many writing systems, including Greek and Latin, due to its simplicity and efficiency.
   • Primarily used for trade and commerce across the Mediterranean.

9. Proto-Sinaitic Script

   • Originated around 1850 BCE in the Sinai Peninsula, considered a precursor to the Phoenician alphabet.
   • Represents a significant shift from pictographic writing to an alphabetic system.
   • Used primarily for inscriptions and reflects early Semitic languages.

10. Sumerian Pictographs

    • The earliest form of writing in Sumer, dating back to around 3500 BCE.
    • Consisted of simple images representing objects or concepts, evolving into more abstract symbols.
    • Served as a foundation for the development of cuneiform writing.