Category Archives: first in its area

Elder Futhark — 160 AD, Denmark

Posted on October 9, 2011 by ducky

Elder Futhark, an early runic script, was definitely used in 160AD in Denmark.  Based on linguistic clues, some people think that it is much older. One of the clues cited is that it is written both left-to-right and right-to-left, like … Continue reading →

Posted in Alphabet, first in its area, Rating: 4 "Huh, interesting!", technology influenced | 3 Comments

Tamil-Brahmi — 400 BC?, India

Posted on May 19, 2011 by ducky

The Brahmi script had two major branches: a northern branch (frequently called Ashokan Brahmi, after the king who put up the Edicts of Ashoka) and a southern (frequenly called Tamil-Brahmi).  So far, all the Brahmi-derived scripts that I have described … Continue reading →

Posted in Abugida, first in its area, Rating: 4 "Huh, interesting!" | 2 Comments

Quipu — 3000 BC?, Peru

Posted on January 16, 2011 by ducky

The Incan empire was very large, very powerful, lasted for a very long time, yet had no writing system — apparently.  This seemed odd. However, even the conquering Spaniards recognized that the Incas did have a way of storing accounting … Continue reading →

Posted in developed by illiterate(s), first in its area, Rating: 5 "Whoa!!" | 1 Comment

Indus script — 2600 BC, Pakistan

Posted on January 11, 2011 by ducky

Like the Sumerians and the Egyptians, the Harappans inhabited a fertile river valley (this one in Pakistan) in around 3300 BC.  Like in the Middle East, the Harappans developed a sophisticated civilization.  Like in the Middle East, the Harappans put … Continue reading →

Posted in first in its area, Logograms, probably developed by illiterate(s), Rating: 2 "Not all that interesting", Undeciphered | 3 Comments

Chinese Oracle bones — ~1500BC, China

Posted on January 6, 2011 by ducky

Written Chinese is, by some measures, the most successful writing system on the planet.  It has persisted for thousands of years and is still in use today.  While it has gone through a number of distinct changes, those changes have … Continue reading →

Posted in first in its area, Logograms, probably developed by illiterate(s), Rating: 3 "I did not know that" | 2 Comments

Vinca — 5300 BC, Serbia

Posted on January 4, 2011 by ducky

There are some cases where there are symbols that experts can’t definitively agree are or are not writing.  Maybe the symbols are just decoration. Vinca is one such script, found on pottery and figurines in modern-day Serbia and adjoining countries … Continue reading →

Posted in developed by illiterate(s), first in its area, Rating: 3 "I did not know that", Undeciphered | 3 Comments

Proto-writing — 7000 BC, Iraq

Posted on January 1, 2011 by ducky

Nobody wrote down how writing got invented (duh), but there is speculation as to the origin of writing. Archeologists have found small clay objects that they think were used in commerce to represent various goods, starting in about 7000 BC … Continue reading →

Posted in developed by illiterate(s), first in its area, Logograms, Rating: 5 "Whoa!!" | 4 Comments