Writing Systems of the Ancient World

1. Writing Systems of the Ancient World Cuneiform, Hieroglyphics, Sanskrit and Ancient Chinese

2. Writing Systems Pictograms – words represented by basic symbols that resembled the object Ideograms – when a set of symbols represents a whole word Phonograms – symbols that represent a sound

3. Cuneiformlatin: wedge shape http://www.hssd.k12.wi.us/bayport/staff/berna/wh101/student/wh101/3rd/amandabegotka.htm

4. History of Cuneiform Created by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia around 3300 B.C. Symbols were wedge and hook shaped, made in wet clay with long reeds Later adopted and modified by the Semitic peoples - Assyrians and Babylonians Transition from Ideographic to Phonetic http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GLOSSARY/CUNEI.HTM and http://www.upenn.edu/museum/Games/cuneiform.html

5. Hieroglyphics and Hieratic Hieroglyphics were used in stone and other hard surfaces usually for ceremonial purposes Hieratic was a more cursive – like, simpler form used on papyrus, leather or wood http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/writing.htm

6. History of Hieroglyphics Hieroglyphic is a Greek word meaning: sacred drawings or writings Began being used around 3100 B.C. About 700 different symbols used singularly and in combination Both pictographic and phonetic Could be written vertically or horizontally http://www.ancient-egypt-online.com/history-of-hieroglyphics.html

7. Language of Harappa and Mohenjo - Daro • The language of Mohenjo -Daro and Harappa are still not translatable to date • It is a pictographic language • Over 400 different pictograms have been found http://www.harappa.com/script/maha0.html

8. Vedic Sanskrit http://www.iskcon.org.uk/news/2004/apr/index.html

9. Vedic Sanskrit Developed around 1500 B.C. Oldest known text is the Rigveda– a collection of poems and hymns of the Hindu religion Writing used mainly for transmission of religion A later version of the language is still in limited use today primarily in a religious context A phonetic language

10. Ancient Chinese Began as pictograms Oracle Bones were used in the Shang dynasty at this point it is already an advanced system of writing Zhou dynasty shows the use of writing on Bronze vessels generally for ritualistic purposes

11. The Start of Modern Chinese Modern Chinese began to be seen as early as 500 BC Language was now written on bamboo, silk and wood and began to document more than religious and ceremonial themes Language largely remained unchanged until the 19th century AD http://www.logoi.com/notes/chinese_origins.html