Writing From Invention To Decipherment
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Writing From Invention To Decipherment
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Author : Silvia Ferrara
language : en
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Release Date : 2024-08-27
Writing From Invention To Decipherment written by Silvia Ferrara and has been published by Oxford University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2024-08-27 with History categories.
This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International licence. It is free to read on the Oxford Academic platform and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. Writing from Invention to Decipherment contains a wealth of global scholarship on ancient writing systems from China, Mesopotamia, Central America, and the Mediterranean, to more recent newly created scripts such as the Rongorongo from Easter Island, the Caroline Island scripts, as well as the alphabet. The aim is to dig into the foundations of writing, showcasing the complexities and varieties of scripts, from their invention to the potential decipherment of poorly understood scripts. The volume offers state-of-the-art research on undeciphered scripts from the Aegean (as for example, Cretan Hieroglyphic and Linear A) or not completely deciphered (as for example Maya) scripts. From a methodological perspective, these contributions lay out how and why writing was invented, who used it, and to what ends. Here writing is presented as a multi-modal cultural phenomenon, that intersects and transcends neat discipline boundaries, within an inclusive approach bridging archaeology, linguistics, epigraphy, and cognitive studies.
The Greatest Invention
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Author : Silvia Ferrara
language : en
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Release Date : 2022-03-01
The Greatest Invention written by Silvia Ferrara and has been published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2022-03-01 with Language Arts & Disciplines categories.
In this exhilarating celebration of human ingenuity and perseverance—published all around the world—a trailblazing Italian scholar sifts through our cultural and social behavior in search of the origins of our greatest invention: writing. The L where a tabletop meets the legs, the T between double doors, the D of an armchair’s oval backrest—all around us is an alphabet in things. But how did these shapes make it onto the page, never mind form complex structures such as this sentence? In The Greatest Invention, Silvia Ferrara takes a profound look at how—and how many times—human beings have managed to produce the miracle of written language, traveling back and forth in time and all across the globe to Mesopotamia, Crete, China, Egypt, Central America, Easter Island, and beyond. With Ferrara as our guide, we examine the enigmas of undeciphered scripts, including famous cases like the Phaistos Disk and the Voynich Manuscript; we touch the knotted, colored strings of the Inca quipu; we study the turtle shells and ox scapulae that bear the earliest Chinese inscriptions; we watch in awe as Sequoyah single-handedly invents a script for the Cherokee language; and we venture to the cutting edge of decipherment, in which high-powered laser scanners bring tears to an engineer’s eye. A code-cracking tour around the globe, The Greatest Invention chronicles a previously uncharted journey, one filled with past flashes of brilliance, present-day scientific research, and a faint, fleeting glimpse of writing’s future.
The First Writing
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Author : Stephen D. Houston
language : en
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Release Date : 2004-12-09
The First Writing written by Stephen D. Houston and has been published by Cambridge University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2004-12-09 with History categories.
In this book, leading scholars in the field discuss and analyse the origins of ancient writing.
Writing And Script A Very Short Introduction
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Author : Andrew Robinson
language : en
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Release Date : 2009-08-27
Writing And Script A Very Short Introduction written by Andrew Robinson and has been published by Oxford University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2009-08-27 with History categories.
Starting with the origins of writing five thousand years ago, with cuneiform and Egyptian hieroglyphs, Robinson explains how these early forms developed into hundreds of scripts, including the Roman alphabet and Chinese characters. He reveals how the modern writing symbols and abbreviations we take for granted today--including airport signage and text messaging--resemble ancient ones much more closely than we might think. The book also includes a chronology of events from 3300 BC to AD 2000, a list of titles for further reading, and an index.
The Oxford Handbook Of Archaeology And Language
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Author : Martine Robbeets
language : en
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Release Date : 2025-06-09
The Oxford Handbook Of Archaeology And Language written by Martine Robbeets and has been published by Oxford University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2025-06-09 with Language Arts & Disciplines categories.
This volume provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of how archaeology, genes, and language can be combined to shed light on the human past. Our understanding of human prehistory has been revolutionized in recent years by the growth of interdisciplinary perspectives, and particularly by insights from the study of ancient DNA. At a time when the 'Big Data' movement in genetics and archaeology is beginning to make inroads into linguistics, The Oxford Handbook of Archaeology and Language sets the agenda for future research in the discipline of archaeolinguistics. The handbook is divided into three parts. The first part introduces the basic frameworks of archaeolinguistics, addressing recent trends and new perspectives. Chapters in Part II explore the application of archaeolinguistics to different stages in human history, from hunter-gathering via the adoption of farming and the rise of writing to modern times. Part III features regional case studies from different parts of the world, including not only Indo-European but also Uralic, Transeurasian, Sino-Tibetan, Paleosiberian, Tai-Kadai, Austronesian, Papuan, Australian, Afrasian, Nilo-Saharan, Niger-Congo, Kalahari Basin, Andean, and Lowland South American languages. In illustrating the extent to which linguistic, archaeological, and genetic histories align or differ, the volume goes beyond the level of 'broad brush' approaches by engaging specialists from a range of disciplines as co-authors, shedding light on language dynamics from multiple perspectives.
The Antiquity Of Greek Alphabet And Early Phoenician Scripts
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Author : P. Kyle McCarter
language : en
Publisher: BRILL
Release Date : 2019-11-26
The Antiquity Of Greek Alphabet And Early Phoenician Scripts written by P. Kyle McCarter and has been published by BRILL this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2019-11-26 with Language Arts & Disciplines categories.
Preliminary Material /P. Kyle McCarter Jr. --Introduction /P. Kyle McCarter Jr. --The Early Phoenician Scripts /P. Kyle McCarter Jr. --The Earliest Greek Scripts /P. Kyle McCarter Jr. --The Prehistory of the Greek Alphabet /P. Kyle McCarter Jr. --Conclusions /P. Kyle McCarter Jr. --Plates /P. Kyle McCarter Jr.
A Companion To Ancient Near Eastern Languages
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Author : Rebecca Hasselbach-Andee
language : en
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Release Date : 2020-02-25
A Companion To Ancient Near Eastern Languages written by Rebecca Hasselbach-Andee and has been published by John Wiley & Sons this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2020-02-25 with History categories.
Covers the major languages, language families, and writing systems attested in the Ancient Near East Filled with enlightening chapters by noted experts in the field, this book introduces Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) languages and language families used during the time period of roughly 3200 BCE to the second century CE in the areas of Egypt, the Levant, eastern Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and Iran. In addition to providing grammatical sketches of the respective languages, the book focuses on socio-linguistic questions such as language contact, diglossia, the development of literary standard languages, and the development of diplomatic languages or “linguae francae.” It also addresses the interaction of Ancient Near Eastern languages with each other and their roles within the political and cultural systems of ANE societies. Presented in five parts, The Companion to Ancient Near Eastern Languages provides readers with in-depth chapter coverage of the writing systems of ANE, starting with their decipherment. It looks at the emergence of cuneiform writing; the development of Egyptian writing in the fourth and early third millennium BCI; and the emergence of alphabetic scripts. The book also covers many of the individual languages themselves, including Sumerian, Egyptian, Akkadian, Hittite, Pre- and Post-Exilic Hebrew, Phoenician, Ancient South Arabian, and more. Provides an overview of all major language families and writing systems used in the Ancient Near East during the time period from the beginning of writing (approximately 3200 BCE) to the second century CE (end of cuneiform writing) Addresses how the individual languages interacted with each other and how they functioned in the societies that used them Written by leading experts on the languages and topics The Companion to Ancient Near Eastern Languages is an ideal book for undergraduate students and scholars interested in Ancient Near Eastern cultures and languages or certain aspects of these languages.
The Bloomsbury Handbook Of Material Religion In The Ancient Near East And Egypt
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Author : Nicola Laneri
language : en
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Release Date : 2023-06-29
The Bloomsbury Handbook Of Material Religion In The Ancient Near East And Egypt written by Nicola Laneri and has been published by Bloomsbury Publishing this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2023-06-29 with Religion categories.
With contributions spanning from the Neolithic Age to the Iron Age, this book offers important insights into the religions and ritual practices in ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern communities through the lenses of their material remains. The book begins with a theoretical introduction to the concept of material religion and features editor introductions to each of its six parts, which tackle the following themes: the human body; religious architecture; the written word; sacred images; the spirituality of animals; and the sacred role of the landscape. Illustrated with over 100 images, chapters provide insight into every element of religion and materiality, from the largest building to the smallest amulet. This is a benchmark work for further studies on material religion in the ancient Near East and Egypt.
Discovery And Invention
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Author : Charles T. Stewart Jr.
language : en
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
Release Date : 2019-06-12
Discovery And Invention written by Charles T. Stewart Jr. and has been published by Xlibris Corporation this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2019-06-12 with Young Adult Nonfiction categories.
The history of humanity can be written in terms of discovery and invention. They are very different cognitive processes—search for order and problem solving. This book is a search for explanation of the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions. It surveys seven civilizations in terms of both their achievements and their failures. What were the characteristics they shared that promoted progress? What prevented or discouraged progress in discovery and or in invention? Sumer was creative, the mother of civilizations. Egypt was not. In Sumer, authority was divided, and it was a trading economy. Egypt was authoritarian and closed. Rome and Islam inherited the Greek legacy. Rome was not interested; it had a different agenda. Islam progressed, but civilization conflicted with religion and then regressed. China led in inventions but then stagnated and always lagged in discovery. Its ultimate failure has multiple explanations that include the scope of authority, structure of society and economy, and of language and script. But so was its preference for intuition over logic or evidence as the method of seeking the truth. It is Greek capacity for abstraction origin a mystery that was essential for its achievements: discoveries of the structure of the universe and the cognitive approach to truth seeking. Much invention was a byproduct of discovery. It is Greek achievements in discovery and abstract reasoning that Europe adopted and advanced, leading to the scientific and subsequent industrial revolutions. Ours is a new phase in human history. What were some of its consequences, and what are its prospects?
Glyph Breaker
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Author : Steven R. Fischer
language : en
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Release Date : 2012-12-06
Glyph Breaker written by Steven R. Fischer and has been published by Springer Science & Business Media this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2012-12-06 with Social Science categories.
After successfully deciphering the Rongorongo script of Easter Island, Steven Roger Fischer gained a unique place in the pantheon of glyphbreakers: he is the only person to have deciphered not one but two ancient scripts. Both of these scripts yield clues of great historical importance. Fischers previous decipherment, of a Cretan artefact called the Phaistos Disk, provided the key to the ancient Minoan language and showed it to be closely related to Mycenaean Greek. Fischer's decipherment of Rongorongo shows that it was not merely a mnemonic device for recalling memorised texts, but was actually read and used for creative composition. This is the exciting story of these two decipherments, by the man who now must rank as the greatest glyphbreaker of all time.