Cuneiform Script - 817 Words

Cuneiform Expression: The Language Before Letters The Cuneiform script, an early form of language consisting of pictographic symbols, was first created by the Sumerians and later built on by other cultures. Written on wet clay tablets, Cuneiform symbols were drawn with a long reed crafted into a writing instrument, also known as a stylus. The stylus created wedge shapes, which is why the name cuneiform was assigned to it. Cuneiform translates to wedge shaped. Some Languages included in the Cuneiform classification were Sumerian, Akkadian, Elamite, Hittite, Luwian, Hurrian, Hattic, and Urartian. Cuneiform was primarily used during the time period that lasted between the 30th century BC to 1st century AD. The first symbol picture was†¦show more content†¦Among the many varieties stemming from the Mesopotamian cuneiform came Hittite, which was named after the Hattusa kingdom in the Old Testament. The Hittites, a people centered in north-central Anatolia, developed their own cus tomized language evolving from the ancient cuneiform. This language was used mostly for writing secular text. Hittite contained many words that were borrowed from other languages, such as the Hurrian and the Hattic, and was composed of a primarily syllabic nature. The Hittite language was used from 1600 BC to 1100 BC, and it is suspected that the language was still spoken after the Hittite empire collapsed. Hittite was the earliest Indo- European language, although some argue otherwise about its classification. Although the cuneiform script includes other cultures and languages, these ones are significantly important because they were widely used and they all basically started a very new way for particular cultures. Communication is a very important part of our history of knowledge and culture. Along with new communication comes new ideas, thoughts, technology, ways of living, and culture. We can even see how our modern language today, much like these languages, evolved from much si mpler language into a process of communication we use on a dailyShow MoreRelatedThe Chinese Writing System2184 Words   |  9 Pagesto create a new format to be drawn on the clay tablets with a tool called a stylus. The marks left on the clay by using the stylus had a wedge-shaped appearance which is how these images received the name of â€Å"cuneiform† meaning wedge-writing. The earliest known implementation of cuneiform to symbolize sounds produced by the Sumerian tongue show up on pieces of clay that are estimated to have been produced around the time of 3100BC. These tablets were discovered around a city called Jemdet, inRead MoreHow Writing Is Important For The Creation Of Organized Societies1564 Words   |  7 Pagesof ideas, beliefs, and concepts from one person to another and to larger groups. The Bronze – Age is where writing first emerged. Pictograms, cuneiform tablets and hieroglyphs are just some of the very first forms of writings. In brief, pictograms, which later evolved into ideograms, used a pictorial symbol to convey a word or phrase. Cuneiform scripts used wedged-shaped characters impressed onto clay tablets. Lastly, hieroglyphs were similar to pictograms in the sense that they also used picturesRead MoreMesopotamian Society : Ancient Egypt And Greece1207 Words   |  5 Pagesconflicts within their region. Cuneiform was a form of proto-script, written on slabs of clay that allowed for contracts to be upheld. A typical agreement would stipulate how much of something someone had whether it was the amount livestock, land, or servants. In other words this method attempted to provide a bit of order and accountability to situation that possibly could cause discord. According to Alice Slotsky, a professor at Brown University, â€Å"Cuneiform writing was, for close to 3000 yearsRead MoreYuri Knorozov : A Difficult Student1250 Words   |  5 Pagesturn Yuri’s attention from Egyptian Hieroglyphics to Mayan Script. In 1947, Yuri began to become increasingly interested with Mayan Script as his professor encouraged him to write his dissertation on â€Å"The De Landa Alphabet†, a theoretical paper written by a Spaniard. The sole purpose of this paper was to introduce the concept that Mayan Script may have come directly from the Spanish alphabet. Although Yuri did not believe that Mayan Script came from the Spanish alphabet, it was at this moment thatRead MoreAccording to the modern researchers, the Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations likely seem very1200 Words   |  5 Pagesoldest known writing system in the world, it was the Cuneiform came from mesopotamia. It started as a series of pictures, and evolved into letters. The word cuneiform meant wedge shaped.The mesopotamian usually wrote cuneiform on clay tablets while the clay was still wet which was called the stylus. The cuneiform was written in a pictographic script. The cuneiform tablets have been excavated in modern times. I think the function of cuneiform is to record important events, had a big part in lifeRead MoreThe Impact On The Industrial Revolution1114 Words   |  5 PagesNext, in early Mesopotamia, there was a type of script called Cuneiform. It is said to be the earliest script in the world. Cuneiform is an aspect of PERSIA in the â€Å"intellectual† section of the acronym. People invented a way of writing and this shows that any people had the ability to invent a way of writing/recording. Continuing on about Cuneiform, in early Mesopotamia in Babylon, Hammurabi wrote a code called â€Å"Hammurabi’s Code† it is the oldest script. It was also the first collection of written lawsRead MoreCore Values Of Civilization100 5 Words   |  5 Pageslanguage was first brought into the light during the Neolithic Age. Perhaps one of the most renowned first recordings of written language is Cuneiform found in Mesopotamian society. Cuneiform is script in wedge-shaped characters including records of taxation, marital and inheritances, calendars, and seasonal changes. Sumerian cuneiform remained basic script of most near and middle eastern languages until about 1000 BCE. In Egypt, hieroglyphics or â€Å"sacred carvings† with pictographs representingRead MoreThe Earliest Forms Of Writing1432 Words   |  6 Pageshistorians. This is made possible as historians can use the first forms of writing-which derive from 3,500 BCE, to serve as a direct source of hearing a point of view from a witness of that time period. Writing began with pictographs, and emerged onto cuneiform, hieroglyphics, ideograms, and phonograms that were carried out by scribes. Writing served its purpose of developing a way to docume nt trades and business accounts, cultural practices- especially those of religion, and government issues and ordersRead MoreReasons Why Mesopotamia Should be Considered a Civilization Essay868 Words   |  4 PagesScience. One of its most important contribution, was the development of one of the first systems of writing. With the increase of farming and trade, the people of Mesopotamia developed a way of keeping records and communicating through cuneiform script. Cuneiform began as a series of pictograms pressed onto clay tablets but soon these pictograms turned into more abstract symbols. This invention proves that Mesopotamia was a civilization because it allowed for people in Mesopotamia to keep recordsRead MoreComparison of Civilizations in the Ancient World Essay983 Words   |  4 Pageswas controlled by gods and goddesses which formed the belief similar to polytheism (Duiker Spielvogel, 2010). Discovery of clay tablets inscribed with cuneiform proved that the Mesopotamian civilization were able to communicate through written pictures and stylized signs, this was used for purpose of record keeping and schools to teach cuneiform. Egyptian civilization was born from the vast and unique Nile River. This river provided the rich â€Å"Black Land† soil that was the foundation for agriculture