I'm quite aware of the developmental process whereby signs develop into writing. A coleague of mine literally wrote the book on this, but the evidence no longer supports the old narrative of the earliest writing evolving in Mesopotamia.
The latest new evidence from Abydos of cylinder seals with glyph signs dates from 3,400 B.C., and pre-dates evidence of writing in Mesopotamia.
3,400 B.C.:
[
www.dainst.org]
If you can show me older seals with writing from Mesopotamia go ahead.
The first mesoptamian material that can honestly be called writing post dates these by 2-300 years.
Before that its just marks for counting, which is also seen elsewhere.
Dave Light
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2008 04:27PM by Dave L.
