Ancient script Research

1 a.

Petroglyph
This is a rock carving specifically from a primitive time.
Petroglyphs are seen as pictogram and logogram images created
by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving,
and abrading.
Examples:

b.

Hieroglyphics
These are writing consisting of hieroglyphs (stylized
symbols). The ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphs as a writing
system consisting of logographic
and alphabetic elements.
Examples:

c.

Ideograms
These are written characters symbolizing the idea of a
thing without indicating the sounds used to say it, e.g.,
numerals and Chinese characters.

Examples:

d.

Pictographs
This is an illustrative symbol for a word or phrase.
Pictographs were used as the earliest known form of
writing, examples having been discovered in Egypt and
Mesopotamia from before 3000 BC.
Examples:

e.

Alphabets
A set of letters or symbols in a fixed order, used to represent the
basic sounds of a language; in particular, the set of letters from
A to Z(English).
Examples: Greek Alphabet

f.

Qoph
Qoph of Qop (in Modern Hebrew: Qof/Kof, Arabic: qf) is
the nineteenth letter in many alphabets, including the
Phoenician, Aramaic, Syriac, and Hebrew. Its sounds like is a
pronounced [k] or [q].

2 a.
b.

Examples of alphabets: Latin, Greek and Hebrew alphabets.

The Latin alphabet is the main writing system in use in the

Western world.

c.

Ideogrammatic codes
Disadvantages

Some ideograms are only understandable by awareness of prior

convention.
When learning or using these codes they are so many to
remember, also there are not placed in any specific order like
alphabets are so this can cause for problems when it comes to
organization.
Advantages

They allow people of different race or culture to easily

understand instructions. Even if you live in a place like China
where there are many different languages and cultures certain
people dont understand each other when speaking but through

the symbols they can.

Easier to the representation of an idea. In making an
ideogrammatic code straight from the idea to depicting it on
paper. However in using a writing/alphabet system you must
first have the idea, then know the sound of the letter then write
the letter.
d.

Alphabetic codes
Disadvantages

Alphabetic writing systems cannot communicate across time

and space like logographs can, such as airport logos, brand-

logos and Chinese characters.

As human beings we do not inherently hear as single elements
in our speech the speech sounds that are eminent in a
language to make up its words, and which are the building
blocks of alphabetic spelling. We hear them as part of the

continuous sound wave. To chart spelling to sound requires a

precise analysis of what we hear.
Advantages

In most consistent spelling systems, any unfamiliar word can be

written down by analysing the speech sounds, and can later be

read by combining the written symbols (graphemes).

People alien to the language can learn the spoken and written
languages at the same time, learning to speak and listen from
the manuscripts, and to read and write from the language they

hear around them, so that each mode helps the other.

A new language or one previously unwritten can be given a
written form relatively easily, whereas creating a new complete
logographic symbol system would be a major work.
e. There are two
main
contemporary
communication
tools that are
able to combine
pictographic,
ideogrammatic
and alphabetic

codes. These devices are the computer and the cellphone.

f.

China is one example of a civilization that still uses

ideogrammatic code, probably due to all the different languages

spoken.
3

a.

Papyrus is a material formed by many strips of papyrus leaves

being pressed together however Paper is separated plant fibers that

have been matted together to form a sheet.

b. Before paper was invented there were several different types of

surfaces used for painting and writing. Some of these are: stone (wall),
birch bark, clay, papyrus, bamboo slips and animal skin (vellum skin
of unborn calf).
Ancient clay slab used for writing

Ancient Chinese

bamboo Slips

c. Stone: animal blood, berries, rock (berries and animal blood were
used for their pigments almost like paint on the walls) (rock was
used to scratch the outer layer of the stone off to reveal the under
layer, normally a different colour).
Bark: knives, berries - the Mayans are known very well for their
amazing bark paintings which can still be sourced today in Mexican
art stores.
Clay: stylus (reed pen) - A reed stylus was the main writing tool
used by Mesopotamian scribes. Scribes created the wedge shapes
that made cuneiform signs by
pressing the stylus into a clay
or wax surface.
Papyrus: stylus (reed pen) Egyptian
Bamboo slips: Writing/Ink
brush and Chinese ink This brush consists of a wooden stalk

normally bamboo and hairs to the top usually goat, Siberian Weasel,
pig, mouse, buffalo, wolf and rabbit. Cost is either low or high
varying on which materials are used to make the brushes.
Animal skin (vellum): quill pen - A quill pen is a writing
implement made from primarily a wing-feather of a large bird.
Stylus (reed pen)
Feather quill pen

Bibliography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Writing_material
http://ambergriscaye.com/museum/digit13.html
http://www.valerieyule.com.au/writalfa.htm
http://www.thefind.com/gifts/info-mexican-barkpainting
http://www.bio.tamu.edu/courses/biol328/paper.htm