Direction: Read the text below and complete the topic outline
that follows. Write yours answer on a separate sheet of paper.
Origins of Writing
Ancient civilizations attributed the origins of writing to the
gods. For the ancient Egyptians, their god Thoth was the creator
of writing and, in some stories, also the creator of speech. The
ancient Sumertans and Assyrians also believed that writing
originated with certain gods, as did the ancient Maya. In Chinese
mythology, the creation of writing is attributed to an ancient sage
and was used for communication with the gods. Clearly, writing
was highly valued even by ancient peoples.
Humans began painting pictures on cave walls 25,000 years ago
or more, but writing systems did not develop until groups of
people began settling in farming communities. Scholars say that
writing systems developed independently in at least three
different parts of the world: Mesopotamia, China, and
Mesoamerica.
The oldest known writing system developed among the ancient
Sumertans in Mesopotamia around 3000 BC. Along with the rise of
agricultural societies carne the development of property
ownership and the need to keep records of it. In early agricultural
societies, property consisted largely of land, livestock such as
cattle, and grain. Originally, clay tokens of various shapes were
used to count these possessions From this developed a system of
impressing the shapes onto clay tablets. One of the earliest clay
tablets of this type was found in excavations in Mesopotamia and
dates from the time of the Sumertan culture. Scribes then began
using reeds instead of tokens to mark the clay, developing a
system of wedgelike shapes to represent the tokens. This system
of writing using wedge shapes is known as cuneiform. It was later
adopted by other cultures and became the basis for other writing
systems. Originating in a system that used pictures to represent
objects, cuneiform writing eventually developed into systems that
used symbols to represent the sounds of language.
The oldest form of Chinese writing dates from around 1500 H.c. It
is called oracle bone script because it was carved on animal
bones and shells that were used for predicting the future. At a
later period, Chinese writing appeared on bronze vases and later
still developed into a system that was used to record government
affairs. The Chinese writing system was also the original basis for
both the Japanese and Korean writing systems
In Mesoarnertca, a region that encompasses parts of Mexico and
Central Arnertca, it is the ancient Mayans who are famous for the
writing they inscribed on temple walls. And other religious
structures. However, scholars believe that writing in that part of
the world may have begun before the rise of the Mayan
civilization. The Zapotec culture, centered on Oaxaca, Mexico,
was already using writing around 400 BC, or possibly earlier. The
Olmec culture may have developed a writing system even earlier
than that. Recent discoveries show that the Mayans may have
begun writing around 2,300 years ago. They used a system of
symbols that represented words and syllables to record
information about the deeds of their rulers as well as information
connected to their calendar and astronomy. Their system of
writing survived until the time of the Spanish Conquest in the
1500s.
In ancient times, only specialized people such as scholars, priests,
or government officials used writing. Today, close to three-
quarters of the world’s adult population can read and write, and
literacy is considered a basic skill necessary to function in the
modern world
Origins of Writing
Thesis Statement: The origin of writing systems can be
attributed to ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, China, and
Mesoamerica.
I. Ancient Sumerian in Mesopotamia
A. Recording of property ownership
1. Tokens
2. _____________
3. _____________
4. _____________
II. Oldest form of Chinese writing
A. ___________________
1. Used for predicting the future
B. ___________________
1. Basis for Japanese and Korean writing systems
III. Writing systems in Mesoamerica
A.____________________
1.Temple and religious structure inscriptions
2. Used a system of symbols
B. Zapotec Culture
1.Writing around 400 B.C.
C. ___________________
1. Developed earlier a writing system
