Cuneiforms
Cuneiform writing is the first system of writing known. Cuneiforms helped civilizations with communication, trade, and record keeping. Cuneiforms were first used by Sumerians who lived in lower Mesopotamia. This dates back to 3000 B.C.E. The Akkadians, Assyrians, and Babylonians later started using Sumerian cuneiforms. The Code of Hammurabi was written in Akkadian cuneiform in circa 1750 B.C.E.. Cuneiforms are derivations of clay tokens, which were also used for record keeping. Cuneiform writing was later replaced with alphabet writing in 200 C.E., because alphabet writing was much easier to use than cuneiform writing was. (Ryan Kim)
http://www.preceden.com/timelines/69824-8000-b-c-e-to-600-c--e
http://www.ancientscripts.com/cuneiform.html
http://www.funnelbrain.com/c-1218-three-ancient-languages-used-sumerian-cuneiform-script.html
http://www.ancientscripts.com/cuneiform.html
http://www.funnelbrain.com/c-1218-three-ancient-languages-used-sumerian-cuneiform-script.html
Hieroglyphs
The first uses of hieroglyphs date back to circa 2700 B.C.E.. Despite popular beliefs, the Egyptians were not the only ones to use hieroglyphs. Other civilizations that used this form of writing include: Anatolians, Mayans, and Olmecs. The ability to use hieroglyphs was a luxury, as only people with a noble status knew how to use the language, due to its complexion. The first portion of the Rosetta stone, issued at Memphis in 196 B.C.E., contained Egyptian hieroglyphs. Hieroglyph writing was replaced by alphabets due to the former's complexion and difficulty of mastery. (Ryan Kim)
http://www.historyhaven.com/APWH/unit1/UNIT%20I%20NOTES.htm
http://www.ancient-egypt-online.com/history-of-hieroglyphics.html
http://www.discoveringegypt.com/Egyptian-Hieroglyphic-Writing.html
http://www.ancient-egypt-online.com/history-of-hieroglyphics.html
http://www.discoveringegypt.com/Egyptian-Hieroglyphic-Writing.html
Pictographs
Although similar to hieroglyphs in that characters of both writings are pictures of objects in nature, pictographs differ in that the pictures actually mean what they look like. Cuneiforms derived from pictographs. Like cuneiforms, pictographss were created by the Sumerians. The Chinese during the Shang dynasty created pictographs (1766 B.C.E. - 1122 B.C.E.). Shang China wrote pictographs on bones and by the end of the dynasty, created over 3000 characters. Pictographs were useful (especially in trade) because if two people could not speak the same language, then those two people could use pictographs to somewhat communicate. (Ryan Kim)
Alphabets
The Phoenician alphabet was created circa 1200 B.C.E.. Many languages such as Latin and Greek inherited the Phoenician alphabet. The Phoenician alphabet consisted of consonants only. The Greek alphabet was created circa 800 B.C.E. and consisted of many aspects of the Phoenician alphabet. (Ryan Kim)
http://www.citrinitas.com/history_of_viscom/alphabet.html
http://www.ancientscripts.com/alphabet.html
http://www.ancientscripts.com/alphabet.html
Quipu
Quipu consists of several knots that represent numbers. Quipus first came into existence circa 2600 B.C.E., and was used in South/Latin America until the mid 16th century C.E.. Quipus recorded decimal numbers, similar to the Arabic numeral system (the one we use today). The Spanish conquistadors of Peru used the quipu system to settle arguments over economy and trade. (Ryan Kim)