History of Writing

History of Writing

• Cave painting. Stones, rocks and bones are used for drawing.
• Cuneiform is the earliest kind of writing where special symbols were used.
• Egyptians used hieroglyphics
• Papyrus – type of paper made by gluing together layers of reed plants and ink.
• Chinese and Japanese use ideas instead of words in represent writing.
• Phoenicians were the first to create an alphabet symbols that represent sounds not pictures or ideas.

Where did they write?

• Things found in nature like rocks, stones and bones. Early people also carved symbols on wet clay. When the clay dried, the symbols would still be there and they could carry the clay around.
• Europeans discovered that the skin of animals could be used to write on called Vellum /Parchment.Italians discovered on inexpensive and quicker way to make paper by breaking down fibers of old cloth.
• J.Gutenberg created a movable print made from metal or so called stamp.

What people used to write?

• In Egypt, a stylus or thin metal rod was used to mark on papyrus.
• Dyes from nature were used to paint symbols. Different plants and flowers made different colors.
• People started using sharpened feathers or quills with ink to write on paper.
• Pencil that is made of graphite and led at the center.