674:
33:
665:. The markings found in over 400 caves across Europe were compared to the mating cycles of the animals with which they were associated, showing a correlation with the month of the year in which the animals depicted in the cave paintings would typically give birth. The markings were 20,000 years old, predating any other equivalent writing systems by 10,000 years.
921:
878:, and ... probably ... invented under the influence of the latter ...", although it is pointed out and held that "the evidence for such direct influence remains flimsy" and that "a very credible argument can also be made for the independent development of writing in Egypt ..."
728:
673:
1058:. While there remains no commonly accepted exact date of origin, most researchers agree that use of the earliest symbols date back between the 5th and 15th centuries. There are thousands of Nsibidi symbols which were used on anything from
824:
was still in the proto-writing stage. By the end of the 4th millennium BC, this symbol system had evolved into a method of keeping accounts, using a round-shaped stylus impressed into soft clay at different angles for recording numbers on
1044:
986:
However, there are number of interpretations regarding symbols found on artefacts of the
European Bronze Age which amount to interpreting them as an indigenous tradition of proto-writing. Of special interest in this context are the
1177:
749:(6th–5th millennia BC) are an evolution of simple symbols first attested during the 7th millennium BC). Over time, the symbols gradually became more complex, ultimately culminating in the
1356:(30 April 2003), doi:10.1038/news030428-7 "Symbols carved into tortoise shells more than 8,000 years ago ... unearthed at a mass-burial site at Jiahu in the Henan Province of western China".
894:
are known to have had fully developed writing systems, while the marginal territories affected by the Bronze Age, such as Europe, India and China, remained in the stage of proto-writing.
719:. Others have dismissed this claim as insufficiently substantiated, claiming that simple geometric designs such as those found on the Jiahu shells cannot be linked to early writing.
1023:
Even after the Bronze Age, several cultures have gone through a period of using systems of proto-writing as an intermediate stage before the adoption of writing proper. The "
708:, the inscriptions have been dated to the 7th millennium BC. According to some archaeologists, the symbols bear a resemblance to the first attested
1365:
Li, X., Harbottle, G., Zhang, J. & Wang, C. 'The earliest writing? Sign use in the seventh millennium BC at Jiahu, Henan
Province, China'.
1027:" (7th/8th century) mentioned by a few medieval authors may have been such a system. Another example is the system of pictographs invented by
1325:
837:
writing using a sharp stylus to indicate what was being counted. The transitional stage to a writing system proper takes place in the
597:
510:
1407:
1226:
401:
313:
1542:
Iconography and
Continuity in West Africa: Calabar Terracottas and the Arts of the Cross River Region of Nigeria/Cameroon
1098:
487:
396:
1578:
1474:
1427:
1168:
1162:
Bacon, Bennett; Khatiri, Azadeh; Palmer, James; Freeth, Tony; Pettitt, Paul; Kentridge, Robert (5 January 2023).
861:
657:
Analysis in 2022, led by Bennet Bacon, an amateur archaeologist, showed that lines, dots and "Y"-like symbols on
551:
304:
496:
185:
468:
463:
1605:
1496:
Slogar, Christopher (Spring 2007). "Early ceramics from
Calabar, Nigeria: Towards a history of Nsibidi".
1118:
1024:
590:
349:
687:
151:
1540:
944:
1467:
Gerätegeld Sichel. Studien zur monetären
Struktur bronzezeitlicher Horte im nördlichen Mitteleuropa
1103:
709:
387:
909:), while symbol systems native to Europe and India are extinct and replaced by descendants of the
482:
477:
294:
359:
1007:, are discussed by Sommerfeld (1994). Sommerfeld favours an interpretation of these symbols as
1600:
800:
630:
583:
341:
275:
97:
62:
39:
1568:
1218:
750:
732:
173:
1210:
458:
1255:
1128:
1008:
995:
in the second half of the 2nd millennium BC. Interpretations of the markings of the bronze
871:
448:
378:
299:
285:
161:
157:
8:
1350:
Helen R. Pilcher 'Earliest handwriting found? Chinese relics hint at
Neolithic rituals',
980:
956:
874:. Various scholars believe that Egyptian hieroglyphs "came into existence a little after
443:
327:
260:
1259:
1610:
1521:
1513:
1191:
1108:
968:
906:
902:
838:
705:
658:
501:
373:
204:
1299:
1574:
1470:
1423:
1403:
1379:
1281:
1273:
1222:
1211:
1195:
976:
972:
891:
865:
364:
318:
1525:
1549:
1505:
1263:
1181:
1071:
1004:
1000:
830:
780:
626:
529:
190:
924:
Typical "Indus script" seal impression showing an "inscription" of five characters
746:
1352:
1138:
1067:
875:
817:
642:
546:
228:
1088:
1012:
992:
988:
943:
is a symbol system that emerged during the end of the 4th millennium BC in the
898:
662:
641:
symbols or both to represent a limited number of concepts, in contrast to true
265:
1509:
1268:
1243:
1186:
1163:
1594:
1277:
1113:
1032:
910:
796:
693:
614:
539:
105:
1003:, especially the large number of so-called "knob-sickles" discovered in the
1285:
940:
934:
834:
236:
209:
826:
806:
634:
415:
410:
280:
130:
69:
1517:
920:
1123:
1078:
are known to write
Nsibidi messages on the bodies of their messengers.
1075:
887:
431:
241:
194:
169:
115:
20:
1164:"An Upper Palaeolithic Proto-writing System and Phenological Calendar"
661:
cave paintings were used to indicate the mating cycle of animals in a
1553:
784:
622:
617:
limited information. Such systems emerged from earlier traditions of
534:
255:
119:
1059:
964:
960:
914:
646:
638:
246:
143:
1043:
727:
1055:
1051:
50:
1469:, Vorgeschichtliche Forschungen vol. 19, Berlin/New York, 1994,
1093:
1063:
1028:
996:
618:
570:
1054:
is a system of symbols indigenous to what is now southeastern
1422:
Haarmann, Harald: "Geschichte der
Schrift", C.H. Beck, 2002,
1133:
821:
701:
697:
32:
1454:
Egypt, Trunk of the Tree: A Modern Survey of an
Ancient Land
971:), the early writing systems of the Near East did not reach
677:
Turtle plastron from Jiahu inscribed with an eye-like symbol
1400:
The First
Writing: Script Invention as History and Process
1326:"Amateur archaeologist uncovers ice age 'writing' system"
1161:
870:
A similar development took place in the genesis of the
1548:(PhD thesis). University of Maryland. pp. 58–62.
1300:"Londoner solves 20,000-year Ice Age drawings mystery"
975:. The earliest writing systems of Europe arise in the
763:
694:carved inscriptions featuring a library of symbols
862:Egyptian hieroglyphs § History and evolution
820:, when what would become the cuneiform script of
1592:
722:
696:were found in 24 Neolithic graves excavated at
16:Symbols that communicate ideas but not language
1402:. Cambridge University Press. pp. 245–6.
905:, during about the 14th to 11th centuries BC (
1465:Christoph Sommerfeld, "Die Sichelmarken" in:
1213:Writing and Script: A Very Short Introduction
1066:and to wall designs. Nsibidi is used for the
591:
625:, as early as the 7th millennium BC in
1570:Language in Africa: an introductory survey
1441:Writing Systems: a Linguistic Introduction
598:
584:
1566:
1560:
1443:, Stanford University Press, 1990, p. 78.
1267:
1185:
1208:
1042:
919:
726:
672:
1397:
68:Four dots, a possible notation for the
1593:
1538:
1495:
1323:
1018:
950:
787:, the earliest mature writing system.
1456:, Algora Publishing, 2004, pp. 55–56.
1241:
1157:
1155:
991:Bronze Age cultures derived from the
1372:
1235:
928:
833:. This was gradually augmented with
700:in the northern Chinese province of
1217:. Oxford University Press. p.
1038:
13:
1324:Devlin, Hannah (January 5, 2023).
1242:Gross, Michael (4 December 2012).
1152:
1099:History of ancient numeral systems
901:emerged from proto-writing in the
681:
14:
1622:
764:Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age
1380:"Archaeologists Rewrite History"
1169:Cambridge Archaeological Journal
31:
1532:
1489:
1480:
1459:
1446:
1433:
1416:
1047:Nsibidi character for "welcome"
1391:
1359:
1344:
1317:
1292:
1202:
1031:before the development of the
790:
652:
1:
1145:
881:
842:
810:
769:
754:
736:
723:Neolithic Southeastern Europe
713:
1567:Gregersen, Edgar A. (1977).
1539:Slogar, Christopher (2005).
1398:Houston, Stephen D. (2004).
783:was gradually evolving into
692:In 2003, turtle shells with
668:
28:
7:
1119:Megalithic graffiti symbols
1081:
49:Art of a painted animal at
10:
1627:
1573:. CRC Press. p. 176.
1244:"The evolution of writing"
955:With the exception of the
932:
859:
794:
688:Neolithic symbols in China
685:
613:consists of visible marks
18:
1510:10.1162/afar.2007.40.1.18
1269:10.1016/j.cub.2012.11.032
1209:Robinson, Andrew (2009).
1187:10.1017/S0959774322000415
945:Indus Valley Civilisation
1104:History of communication
855:
816:) reflects the stage of
797:Cuneiform § History
731:Clay amulet, one of the
710:oracle bone inscriptions
19:Not to be confused with
779:, proto-writing in the
1048:
925:
890:, the cultures of the
801:History of Mesopotamia
742:
678:
1486:Sommerfeld (1994:251)
1046:
959:and mainland Greece (
923:
860:Further information:
795:Further information:
730:
686:Further information:
676:
621:systems in the early
186:Age of the human race
1369:, 77, 31–44, (2003).
1129:Prehistoric counting
999:associated with the
872:Egyptian hieroglyphs
1260:2012CBio...22.R981G
1019:Later proto-writing
981:Phoenician alphabet
979:, derived from the
951:European Bronze Age
850: 2900 BC
846: 3100 BC
814: 3500 BC
777: 3200 BC
645:, which record the
631:southeastern Europe
261:Classical antiquity
1606:History of writing
1439:Geoffrey Sampson,
1109:History of writing
1049:
1011:associated with a
969:Cretan hieroglyphs
926:
907:Oracle bone script
903:Chinese Bronze Age
839:Jemdet Nasr period
743:
706:radiocarbon dating
679:
659:Upper Palaeolithic
1452:Simson Najovits,
1409:978-0-521-83861-0
1254:(23): R981–R984.
1228:978-0-19-956778-2
973:Bronze Age Europe
929:Indian Bronze Age
892:Ancient Near East
866:Prehistoric Egypt
831:accounting tokens
608:
607:
560:
559:
552:Political history
177:
165:
135:
131:Pleistocene epoch
91:
90:
87:
86:
83:
79:
75:
74:
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1585:
1584:
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1558:
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1530:
1529:
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1487:
1484:
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1444:
1437:
1431:
1420:
1414:
1413:
1395:
1389:
1387:
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1370:
1363:
1357:
1348:
1342:
1341:
1339:
1337:
1321:
1315:
1314:
1312:
1311:
1296:
1290:
1289:
1271:
1239:
1233:
1232:
1216:
1206:
1200:
1199:
1189:
1159:
1072:Igboid languages
1039:African Iron Age
1033:Yugtun syllabary
1005:Frankleben hoard
1001:Urnfield culture
989:Central European
851:
847:
844:
815:
812:
781:Fertile Crescent
778:
774:
771:
759:
756:
751:Tărtăria tablets
741:
738:
733:Tărtăria tablets
718:
715:
600:
593:
586:
575:
569:
530:Age of Discovery
437:
436:
205:Earliest records
191:Recorded history
167:
155:
127:
125:
114:
93:
92:
82:
78:
64:
58:
57:
54:
53:
41:
36:
35:
26:
25:
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1590:
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1490:
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1481:
1464:
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1451:
1447:
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1434:
1421:
1417:
1410:
1396:
1392:
1386:. 12 June 2003.
1378:
1377:
1373:
1364:
1360:
1349:
1345:
1335:
1333:
1322:
1318:
1309:
1307:
1298:
1297:
1293:
1248:Current Biology
1240:
1236:
1229:
1207:
1203:
1160:
1153:
1148:
1143:
1139:Visual language
1084:
1041:
1021:
953:
937:
931:
884:
876:Sumerian script
868:
858:
849:
845:
818:proto-cuneiform
813:
803:
793:
776:
772:
766:
757:
739:
725:
716:
690:
684:
682:Neolithic China
671:
655:
649:of the writer.
643:writing systems
604:
573:
567:
562:
561:
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516:
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506:
492:
473:
454:
453:
434:
424:
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406:
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271:
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123:
112:
65:
44:
43:
42:
30:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1624:
1614:
1613:
1608:
1603:
1587:
1586:
1579:
1559:
1531:
1488:
1479:
1477:, pp. 207–264.
1458:
1445:
1432:
1415:
1408:
1390:
1371:
1358:
1343:
1316:
1291:
1234:
1227:
1201:
1150:
1149:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1089:Asemic writing
1085:
1083:
1080:
1040:
1037:
1020:
1017:
1013:lunar calendar
993:Beaker culture
952:
949:
933:Main article:
930:
927:
899:Chinese script
883:
880:
857:
854:
792:
789:
765:
762:
758: 5300 BC
740: 5300 BC
724:
721:
717: 1200 BC
683:
680:
670:
667:
663:lunar calendar
654:
651:
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497:Southeast Asia
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397:Southeast Asia
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314:Southeast Asia
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266:Late antiquity
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29:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1623:
1612:
1609:
1607:
1604:
1602:
1601:Proto-writing
1599:
1598:
1596:
1582:
1580:0-677-04380-5
1576:
1572:
1571:
1563:
1555:
1551:
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1476:
1475:3-11-012928-0
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1429:
1428:3-406-47998-7
1425:
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1140:
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1125:
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1120:
1117:
1115:
1114:Message stick
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966:
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936:
922:
918:
916:
912:
911:Semitic abjad
908:
904:
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895:
893:
889:
879:
877:
873:
867:
863:
853:
840:
836:
832:
828:
823:
819:
808:
802:
798:
788:
786:
782:
761:
752:
748:
747:Vinča symbols
734:
729:
720:
711:
707:
703:
699:
695:
689:
675:
666:
664:
660:
650:
648:
644:
640:
636:
632:
628:
624:
620:
616:
615:communicating
612:
611:Proto-writing
601:
596:
594:
589:
587:
582:
581:
579:
578:
572:
566:
565:
553:
550:
548:
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541:
540:Postmodernity
538:
537:
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531:
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494:
489:
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484:
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479:
476:
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469:South America
467:
465:
464:North America
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348:
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343:
342:Postclassical
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337:
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303:
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293:
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286:South America
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281:North America
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257:
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215:Proto-writing
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106:Human history
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56:
55:
52:
48:
47:
34:
27:
22:
1569:
1562:
1541:
1534:
1504:(1): 18–29.
1501:
1498:African Arts
1497:
1491:
1482:
1466:
1461:
1453:
1448:
1440:
1435:
1418:
1399:
1393:
1383:
1374:
1366:
1361:
1351:
1346:
1334:. Retrieved
1330:The Guardian
1329:
1319:
1308:. Retrieved
1306:. 2023-01-05
1303:
1294:
1251:
1247:
1237:
1212:
1204:
1173:
1167:
1050:
1025:Slavic runes
1022:
985:
954:
941:Indus script
938:
935:Indus script
896:
885:
869:
835:pictographic
827:clay tablets
804:
767:
744:
691:
656:
633:. They used
610:
609:
574:
449:Contemporary
444:Early modern
214:
210:Protohistory
162:Contemporary
156:
129:
128:
124:
70:lunar months
1384:China Daily
1035:(c. 1900).
913:during the
886:During the
807:Kish tablet
791:Mesopotamia
773: 3600
735:, dated to
653:Paleolithic
635:ideographic
416:Renaissance
1595:Categories
1310:2023-01-05
1146:References
1124:Petroglyph
1076:Aro people
1074:, and the
1060:calabashes
888:Bronze Age
882:Bronze Age
848: – c.
775: – c.
712:dating to
547:Futurology
488:South Asia
388:South Asia
305:South Asia
242:Bronze Age
237:Copper Age
195:Common Era
170:10,000 BCE
116:Prehistory
21:Prewriting
1611:Neolithic
1554:1903/2416
1367:Antiquity
1336:March 14,
1278:0960-9822
1196:255723053
785:cuneiform
669:Neolithic
637:or early
623:Neolithic
535:Modernity
502:West Asia
483:East Asia
402:West Asia
379:East Asia
319:West Asia
300:East Asia
256:Axial Age
158:Neolithic
152:Timelines
120:Stone Age
1526:57566625
1518:20447809
1332:. France
1304:BBC News
1286:23346575
1082:See also
1009:numerals
977:Iron Age
965:Linear B
961:Linear A
915:Iron Age
704:. Using
647:language
639:mnemonic
521:See also
365:Americas
350:Timeline
247:Iron Age
144:Holocene
98:a series
96:Part of
1430:, p. 20
1256:Bibcode
1064:tattoos
1056:Nigeria
1052:Nsibidi
997:sickles
768:During
478:Oceania
374:Oceania
295:Oceania
229:Ancient
174:Present
51:Lascaux
1577:
1524:
1516:
1473:
1426:
1406:
1353:Nature
1284:
1276:
1225:
1194:
1094:Cylcon
1029:Uyaquk
957:Aegean
864:, and
799:, and
619:symbol
571:Future
511:Europe
459:Africa
432:Modern
411:Europe
360:Africa
328:Europe
276:Africa
1546:(PDF)
1522:S2CID
1514:JSTOR
1192:S2CID
1176:(3):
1134:Quipu
1068:Ekoid
856:Egypt
822:Sumer
702:Henan
698:Jiahu
627:China
1575:ISBN
1471:ISBN
1424:ISBN
1404:ISBN
1338:2023
1282:PMID
1274:ISSN
1223:ISBN
1178:1–19
1070:and
939:The
897:The
829:and
805:The
745:The
629:and
1550:hdl
1506:doi
1264:doi
1182:doi
1062:to
852:).
760:).
1597::
1520:.
1512:.
1502:40
1500:.
1382:.
1328:.
1302:.
1280:.
1272:.
1262:.
1252:22
1250:.
1246:.
1221:.
1190:.
1180:.
1174:33
1172:.
1166:.
1154:^
1015:.
983:.
967:,
963:,
947:.
917:.
843:c.
811:c.
770:c.
755:c.
737:c.
714:c.
172:–
160:–
122:)
100:on
1583:.
1556:.
1552::
1528:.
1508::
1412:.
1388:.
1340:.
1313:.
1288:.
1266::
1258::
1231:.
1219:4
1198:.
1184::
841:(
809:(
753:(
599:e
592:t
585:v
568:↓
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193:(
176:)
168:(
136:)
126:(
118:(
113:↑
63:1
40:1
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