History of writing

The history of writing

There are at least 3 cultures that created writing as a new phenomenon. (Writing here does not refer to pictographs or proto-writings, but to signs for phonetic items of a specific language). Subsequently, all other writing systems developed, modified and derived from these writings. Development and place of origin are discussed controversally in literature and still not clear yet.

Rogers for example states that writing already originated in mesopotamia 3000 B.C. 1500 B.C. writing was developed anew by the Chinese and the latest independent form of wiriting was to come from Mesoamerica - the writing of the Maya that was to be designed about 2000 years ago.

Other scientists, Robinson among them, aussume that the three places of origin are Mesopotamia, Mesoamerica and Egypt. Egyptians are said to have invented so called hieroglyphs independently in 3000 B.C. Whereas the Chinese logographsmight have been inspired by the cuneiform writing of the Mesopotamians, that might have been adopted along the Silk Road and the Asian cultures there.

Other languages

German - Geschichte der Schrift