Hi Archaeo,
The latest evidence actually shows Egyptians signs are older than the Sumerian ones.
Clay tablets containing primitive words were uncovered in southern Egypt at the tomb of a king named Scorpion. They were carbon-dated to 3300-3200 B.C., 200-300 years before the first Sumerian writing.
So the latest evidence suggests writing was invented in Egypt.
Also, Egyptian writing ceased to be pictorial very quickly as well - the Hieratic script was a 3rd Millenium B.C. development I believe.
These ideas attributing everything to the Sumerians is a hangover from the racist theories of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Dave Light
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2008 11:15AM by Dave L.