2.2 The invention of writing

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The ancient Sumerians developed writing. This new discovery made it possible to record trade agreements, laws and taxes. With the start of writing, prehistory ends and history begins.

It also means the end of Age 1 and the beginning of Age 2

2.2 The invention of writing

Essence

The first farmers settled close to rivers in Mesopotamia. These rivers overflowed and supplied them with fertile land. The farmers also used irrigation to lead water further inland. This led to an agricultural surplus. The abundance of food allowed people to specialise in other jobs, like traders or craftsmen. Villages in Mesopotamia and Egypt grew to become cities with a highly developed culture. These were the first agricultural urban societies.

Essence

The first farmers settled close to rivers in Mesopotamia. These rivers overflowed and supplied them with fertile land. The farmers also used irrigation to lead water further inland. This led to an agricultural surplus. The abundance of food allowed people to specialise in other jobs, like traders or craftsmen. Villages in Mesopotamia and Egypt grew to become cities with a highly developed culture. These were the first agricultural urban societies.

Essence

The first farmers settled close to rivers in Mesopotamia. These rivers overflowed and supplied them with fertile land. The farmers also used irrigation to lead water further inland. This led to an agricultural surplus. The abundance of food allowed people to specialise in other jobs, like traders or craftsmen. Villages in Mesopotamia and Egypt grew to become cities with a highly developed culture. These were the first agricultural urban societies.

Essence

The first farmers settled close to rivers in Mesopotamia. These rivers overflowed and supplied them with fertile land. The farmers also used irrigation to lead water further inland. This led to an agricultural surplus. The abundance of food allowed people to specialise in other jobs, like traders or craftsmen. Villages in Mesopotamia and Egypt grew to become cities with a highly developed culture. These were the first agricultural urban societies.

Essence

The first farmers settled close to rivers in Mesopotamia. These rivers overflowed and supplied them with fertile land. The farmers also used irrigation to lead water further inland. This led to an agricultural surplus. The abundance of food allowed people to specialise in other jobs, like traders or craftsmen. Villages in Mesopotamia and Egypt grew to become cities with a highly developed culture. These were the first agricultural urban societies.

Unravelling an ancient secret

In 1799 a very special stone was discovered. Known as the Rosetta Stone, it contained the key to solve one of the biggest mysteries in history: the translation of Egyptian writings. The Frenchman Champollion was able to crack the code. He was the first to read the script in thousands of years. It is said that he was so happy about his discovery that he ran through the streets of Paris. He shouted and cheered until he fell down in a coma. But why was this translation of Egyptian writing so important? And how was this writing developed? Let us try to find the answer to these questions.

Even in our modern time, some people are still hunter-gatherers. For example, Indian tribes in the Amazon, the San in Africa and the aboriginals in Australia.

Portret of Jean-François Champollion, made in 1831 by Léon Cogniet

The French general Napoleon was fascinated by the ancient Egyptians. In 1798, he led a campaign to the country in order to interrupt the British trade with India. Along with his army, Napoleon brought many scientists to study monuments. On this campaign they found the Rosetta Stone.

The Rosetta Stone, made in 196 BC. It measures 112 by 75 by 28 centimetres. The stone was found in 1799 near the place Rosetta in Egypt by French soldiers.

Who could write?

The Sumerians were not only interested in farming and trade. To them, magic and religion were also very important. They had all kinds of spells to protect themselves against illnesses given to them by demons and gods. Sumerian priests used cuneiform to write down these spells. They also recorded stories that had been told for hundreds of years. An example of such a story is of a king named Gilgamesh. He made the city of Uruk very powerful. During his adventures he also had to challenge monsters and gods. The whole story was written 4,000 years ago, but you can still find it in your library!

Clay tablet. the story of Gilgamesh and Aga. 2003-1595 BCE.

The story of Gilgamesh

Ancient Mesopotamian terracotta relief (c. 2250 — 1900 BC) showing Gilgamesh slaying the Bull of Heaven, an episode described in Tablet VI of the Epic of Gilgamesh

Writers in ancient Egypt

The ancient Egyptians were inspired by the Sumerians and developed their own way of writing. They made small drawings which we call hieroglyphs. They wrote on the walls of temples and graves, but also on the stems of the papyrus plant.

Thanks to the use of hieroglyphs, a new profession emerged in Egypt: the scribe. Some children learned to write at school. When they grew older they were hired by the pharaoh to work for him. These young scribes then became civil servants. Nowadays writing might seem normal to you, but in ancient Egypt it was really special. When the son of a rich farmer was able to go to school to become a writer, his family would be very proud.

Even in our modern time, some people are still hunter-gatherers. For example, Indian tribes in the Amazon, the San in Africa and the aboriginals in Australia.

The Egyptians used the inside of the papyrus to make paper. With the outside of the plant they made boats and mats. In this way they didn’t have to throw anything away.

Why is writing so special?

The discovery of writing marks the end of Prehistory and the start of Antiquity. From this moment we talk about history because we have written sources. Before writing, the people had to speak to each other if they wanted to learn or trade. It is thanks to writing that it is possible to share knowledge without direct contact with another person. It also is not necessary to remember everything because you can write it down and read it again later. You can even save your knowledge for others and they can expand your ideas. Nowadays we can still read the thoughts of the people of ancient Sumer and Egypt. We can read what their names were, what they believed in, how they felt and what they did in their lives.

Writing didn’t only develop in Sumer and Egypt; this also happened on the island of Crete, in the Indus valley civilisation and in China, where people developed their own way of writing (present-day drawing).

In China the priests wrote on turtle shells.

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