The first writing : script invention as history and process
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
The first writing : script invention as history and process
Cambridge University Press, 2008, c2004
- : pbk
Available at 8 libraries
  Aomori
  Iwate
  Miyagi
  Akita
  Yamagata
  Fukushima
  Ibaraki
  Tochigi
  Gunma
  Saitama
  Chiba
  Tokyo
  Kanagawa
  Niigata
  Toyama
  Ishikawa
  Fukui
  Yamanashi
  Nagano
  Gifu
  Shizuoka
  Aichi
  Mie
  Shiga
  Kyoto
  Osaka
  Hyogo
  Nara
  Wakayama
  Tottori
  Shimane
  Okayama
  Hiroshima
  Yamaguchi
  Tokushima
  Kagawa
  Ehime
  Kochi
  Fukuoka
  Saga
  Nagasaki
  Kumamoto
  Oita
  Miyazaki
  Kagoshima
  Okinawa
  Korea
  China
  Thailand
  United Kingdom
  Germany
  Switzerland
  France
  Belgium
  Netherlands
  Sweden
  Norway
  United States of America
Note
"First paperback edition 2008"--T.p. verso
Includes bibliographical references (p. [354]-394) and index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
Ancient writing gives us our first glimpse of history, people and institutions, and yet its origins remain mysterious. This book offers a treatment and examination of the origins of ancient writing. It studies often neglected writing systems, such as those of Mesoamerica. The leading scholars in the field collectively discuss new topics and highlight new subtlties about how these scripts came into existence and development during the first centuries of use. Egypt, Mesopotamia, Elamite, Mesoamerica and the Maya, Shang, and Runic are all represented.
Table of Contents
- Part I. Orientation and Theory: 1. Overture of the first writing Stephen D. Houston
- 2. The possibility and actuality of writing John S. Robertson
- 3. Writing systems: a case study in cultural evolution Bruce G. Trigger
- Part II. Case Studies of Primary and Secondary Script Formation: 4. Babylonian beginnings: the origin of the cuneiform writing system in comparative perspective Jerrold Cooper
- 5. The state of decipherment of Proto-Elamite Robert Englund
- 6. The earliest Egyptian writing: development, context, purpose John Baines
- 7. Anyang writing and the origin of the Chinese writing system Robert Bagley
- 8. Writing on shell and bone in Shang China Francoise Bottero
- 9. Reasons for runes Henrik Williams
- 10. Writing in early Mesopotamia Stephen D. Houston
- Part III. Epilogue: 11. Beyond writing Elizabeth Hill Boone
- 12. Final thoughts on writing Stephen D. Houston.
by "Nielsen BookData"