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Early Writing Systems The earliest writing systems evolved independently and at roughly the same time in Egypt and Mesopotamia, but current scholarship suggests that Mesopotamia’s writing appeared first. That writing system, invented by the Sumerians, emerged in Mesopotamia around 3500 BCE. At first, this writing was representational: a bull might be represented by a picture of a bull, and a pictograph of barley signified the word barley.

Egyptian 3000 BCE

Egyptian 3,400 BC

Cuneiform

Papyrus & Writing tools

c. 31st century BC to 1st century AD c. 31st century BC to 1st century AD

Cuneinform in clay,14th century BC.

Clay & Writing tools

Though writing began as pictures, this system was inconvenient for conveying anything other than simple nouns, and it became increasingly abstract as it evolved to encompass more abstract concepts, eventually taking form in the world’s earliest writing: cuneiform. An increasingly complex civilization encouraged the development of an increasingly sophisticated form of writing. Cuneiform came to function both phonetically (representing a sound) and semantically (representing a meaning such as an object or concept) rather than only representing objects directly as a picture.

Alphabets Greek

Etruscan

Greek Alphabets,8th century BC.

The Greeks were the first civilization to use an alphabet. The Alphabet was developed after the Dark Age when the Greeks stopped using their previous written language. The Greek alphabet had 24 letters and believe it or not the word "alphabet" originates from the first 2 letters of the Greek alphabet; alpha, and beta. Today many letters of our modern alphabet originate from the Greek alphabet such as the letters A, B, E, and O. Greek alphabet influence the development of Latin alphabet.

As the development of Greek alphabet, western culture popularize worldwide.

Roman

Serif

Roman Alphabets,8th century BC.

Asian Contribution Woodblock printing and paper

Chapter 2 of the Magical Charm Scripture of Great Splendor, 1231–1322,

The invented of paper making technique and woodblock printing had promote the development of culture. As the invention of woodblock printing in China, it spread into the other countries rapidly. After 400years, the technology of printing spread to Europe

by Persia. In fourteen century, European began to woodblock prints. They initially printed image, and then they printed books.

Under the continuous improvement by Gutenberg and the afferent of paper, typography of Western world began to flourish, accelerate the process of social development in Europe, and cause the Renaissance revival indirectly.

“The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” from the series “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,” Japan, Edo period,

“Thunderstorm Beneath the Summit,” from the series “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,” Japan, Edo period,

Illuminated Manuscripts Classical

The Vatican Vergil, The Death of Laocoon, early fifth century AD

Spanish

Celtic

BOOK OF KELLS: the Chi-Rho page 794–806.

Romanesque

Morgan Beatus, Spanish, 10th century

The Psalms portion of the Old Testament.

Gothic

14th-century painters - The Virgin of the Assumption

Parchment and writing tool

In the great era of the illuminated manuscript, the art of the illuminator often played an important role in the development of art. The portability of the manuscript made it a simple means for the transmission of ideas from one region to another, and even from one period to another. On the whole, the development of painting in manuscripts paralleled the development of monumental painting.The invent of parchment in western greatly promote the popularized of religions, and many religious masterpieces being preserved and spread.

The Codex Gigas, 13th century, Bohemia.