Cuneiform and Pictograms - Research Paper Example

? Cuneiform and Pictograms There is no doubt that the history of writing that exists today is from Cuneiform. As the first form, of writing Cuneiform is an ancient form of indigenous writing an expression that dates back to the past historical years. Cuneiform writing is easily traceable back to the late fourth millennium BC when the Sumerians began using a system of pictographs that were evident on the pieces of writing on the clay tablets(Radner, and Robson 57). Although this kind, of pictographs began when they were, complex in nature it gradually became simplified and abstract over time. Indeed, it is certain that Cuneiform and pictograms are the gateway of the normal symbols that are palpable in our everyday life as it all started thousands of years ago. As a one of the greatest contributors to Cuneiform development, the Sumerians developed this early form of civilization writing using pictures. Later the Babylonians and Assyrians adopted the use of Cuneiform as a system of writing. As an ancient form, of writing Cuneiform entailed the use of wooden reeds on pieces of clay that were used to impress shapes on the moist clay tablets evidently in Mesopotamia. This mode of writing used wedged shaped stylus as a means of making impressions on the tablets that were made up of stones, metal, clay, or wax. However, the clay tablets were mainly used, as they were cheap and easily available. On the contrary, the clay tablets tended to be more fragile because of the tablets being sun-baked. There are different forms of wedges as they ranged in their various shapes from upright wedges, horizontal wedges, and the most common diagonal wedges through the frequently interchanging of slopping wedge. The Cuneiform impressions that were left by the pictogram, which was being imposed on the tablet left the stylus on the tablet as wedged shape thus, the up rise of the name wedge-writing that was significantly another name of Cuneiform writing. It is notable that after the pieces of clay tablets dried up the preservation of the information was achievable through maintain ace of remarkable accuracy and durability levels. It is because of this reason that hundreds of cuneiform tablets are evidently widely spread all over the world (Radner, and Robson 60). However, in instances where the information was not needed in terms of their permanency the tablets were recycled as they were remolded again. Archeologists established that a majority of the tablets found from the debris and archives were baked especially as they found them in the building where the armies burnt it down. Majority of the museums and private collections still hold the tablets up to date as a form of history. Individuals who utilized this form of writing were Egyptians who have had thousands of clay tablets safely stored discovered in Egypt. The use of the tablets in Cuneiform writing began as a system of writing symbols as a way of expressing the ideas commonly rather than the use of in sounds that they felt a need of noting them down for remembrance. Majorly the information that was featured in these tablets were those of business activities that needed recording in order to act as evidence against a transaction that transpired between two parties (Radner, and Robson 61). In addition, other tablets included information traceable back to the field of medicine as there is evidence of tablets with medical texts imposed on them besides other subjects. Cuneiform form of writing developed later into alphabetic syllabus through the Babylonians and Assyrians who were primarily dominant in the in Egypt during the middle of the third millennium. As a result, the form of Cuneiform writing shifted from being mainly featured in the field of business and medicine as it spread into other areas of writing. This change is more significant as there is evidence of cuneiform scripts use in the representation of texts that are from various fields of several languages. These languages include those of the ancient ones that are more close to the East during the period that date back to the end of the fourth millennium to the first millennium BC. Cuneiform writing as a form of language included the use of a mixture of figurative and phonetic logical method that assisted in the expression of ideas and sounds that had to be interpreted into writing (Panaino and Piras ). The main reason as to why majority of Cuneiform writing users used lists that contained the Cuneiform signs and figurative and phonetic signs are because of the difficulty encountered as a result, of utilization of a number of symbols. Original texts of Cuneiform writing through the use of hands can only be traceable back to the Cuneiform experts and anthropologists who can write the symbols on the tablets as they do not use any paper or books to represent their original source. It is however, hard to encounter scholars who have or studied using Cuneiform tablets due to its dated back history (Wilford ). It is considered that out of 6.3 billion people today only 300 people can read Cuneiform writings on tablets however, the expertise level was slow as they do not have relatively flowing relative straight forward processes. As a result, their level of copying, publishing their contents, deciphering and checking of the work is usually slow and a difficult process. Reading of Cuneiform writing documents could either be direct or indirect. This is because a majority of the individuals cannot access first-hand information in order for them to conduct a thorough examination (Panaino and Piras, 6). As a result, during the recent time Cuneiform information has become easily accessible through second hand representation. The current use of the second hand approach involves the use of pictorial and interpretative approaches. These approaches are meant to make it easier for users to understand the presentations on the tablets. While reading Cuneiform writing information for the first time the readers find it hard to understand however, the computerized symbol recognition makes it easier for an individual to read and understand the information that is in the Cuneiform tablets (Mander 149). An individual therefore, understands the content more as they can conceptualize on the ideas that are being presented to them in the form of Cuneiform writing. There is a concern based on Cuneiform sign recognition of handwritten images as a result, of the increase in numbers of Cuneiform tablets that are currently hand written. The current method of automation of Cuneiform writing signs that initially existed on tablets indicate that there is a need to use the method that was initially applied by the Assyrians in the interpretation of the final forms of Cuneiform signs (Wilford ). More significantly, caution has to be undertaken as the Cuneiform tablets were developed in the past with over 3000 year far away indicating that there are a lot of changes that they have undergone over the years that influence their current state As the use of Cuneiform writing, is evident back in the years where a number of regional tribes and ethnic groups adopted the use of Cuneiform writing it was a significant means of expressing their ideas. A lot of this words that they used initially have been retained over time in order to enhance the newly written and spoken language that exists currently (Lo, Lawrence). There is no doubt that the current language that is being used today in writing and speaking owes a lot to the initial Cuneiform writing forms that existed a long time ago as it is evidently incorporated. There are only some significant changes that were made to the initial forms of writing. With the Cuneiform writing the existence in horizontal, vertical and sloping lines, they were useful because they all produced a straight side of the stylus head of writing. However, with time the shift of style changed into the triangular style of symbol that was obtained through the impression of the corner of the stylus (Panaino and Piras, 10). This is because of the initial firm pressure that the other symbols exerted. It was found out that there was a need to improve the writing skills as they could become more efficient and impressive as compared to those that existed earlier on. This is because the system of working on words initially was from right to left but this eventually changed with time as it made the writing cumbersome. As a result, the mode of working shifted from the initial right to left direction into the left to the right direction whereby the working was done in that order in the form of a line which is relatively the case with today’s writing of languages (Wilford ). The signs angle also shifted into 90 degrees this was necessary because there was a need to shift the lines from being vertically into horizontal direction. This consequently led to the sign pictures being more presentable and easier to read as compared to the initial Cuneiform writing alphabetic characters that seemed to be abstract as they were formed from wedge shaped strokes. The use of Cuneiform writing was continuously used among the Babylonians and Assyrians in their expression of the dialects of their own languages. This is evidently supported by records of the Sumerian and Babylonians literature that has been found to exist especially in the scientific area (Wilford ). It is quite significant that Cuneiform writing was used in the expression of scientific knowledge besides the expression of the legal code of Hammurabi. In addition, the use of Cuneiform writing on documents among the Babylonians and Sumerians is accounted for in the economic documents that include mainly information of business transactions that took place during the business activities that exist during transactions. There is also debris of Cuneiform writing that were found in between the 9th to the 7th century BC among the Assyrians that were found in the Neo-Assyrian libraries. These forms of Cuneiform writing include the existence of information in these libraries such as those that exist in Ninevah (Panaino and Piras, 11). In addition, there is also evidence of the use of Cuneiform writing in the administrative documents that were stored in a safe place in order to ensure durability of the information that was considered to be important. These administrative documents included letters that were used for the exchange of information that had to be conveyed in a formal way. Thereafter during the 2nd millennium BC there was a further development as there was the introduction of Cuneiform writing use among the Akkadian community. As time moved on the Cuneiform, became the official language among the individuals of the Ancient Near East (Lutz and Myerson 278). As a result, Cuneiform written scripts became widely spread over the entire region and beyond. Within a short period of time, the use of Cuneiform as an official way of writing in their own language became a common feature among the inhabitant of the entire region as they adopted to the new style of language writing while using Cuneiform technique. Although the spread of Cuneiform writing seems to be smooth, the difficulty arises in the reading of the Cuneiform language as it was a dead language especially in the early 1800s (Radner, and Robson 62). However, attempts were made in order to solve the problem of difficulty in reading Cuneiform language with immense success a solution was found in the late 1800s (Lo, Lawrence). Near Eastern archeology history of the decipherment of cuneiform equally owes its advances to the great work of Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson who initiated and struggled to enhance the use of Cuneiform style of writing language. Through Rawlinson’s translation of the old Persian section of the triangular rock inscription that was used during the initial times of Cuneiform writing into the Iran inscription that eventually led to the Babylonian Cuneiform (Lo, Lawrence). As a result, of the achievements made by Rawlinson, which eventually led to today’s language that is being used worldwide as the main style of writing as it extended to the Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical History. Indeed, there is no doubt that todays present language that exists owes its existence to the Cuneiform writing language style that dates back to 3000 years ago. It is therefore, through gradual innovation that transformation from the ancient Cuneiform writing on tablets made of stones, metal, clay, or wax and wooden reeds that have transformed to today’s use of books and pens. It is definite that Cuneiform and pictograms are the gateway to what we see as the use of normal symbols in our everyday life. Works Cited "Cuneiform." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2011): 1. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 22 Nov. 2011. BOIY, TOM. "Date Formulas In Cuneiform Tablets And Antigonus Monophthalmus, Again." Journal Of The American Oriental Society 129.3 (2009): 467-476. Academic Source Premier. Web. 22 Nov. 2011. Lo, Lawrence. "Sumerians." Ancientscripts.com. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. Lutz, Michael, and Mark Myerson. "Radiographic Analysis Of An Opening Wedge Osteotomy Of The Medial Cuneiform." Foot & Ankle International / American Orthopaedic Foot And Ankle Society [And] Swiss Foot And Ankle Society 32.3 (2011): 278-287. MEDLINE. Web. 22 Nov. 2011. Mander, Pietro. "Antecedents In The Cuneiform Literature Of The Attis Tradition In Late Antiquity." Journal Of Ancient Near Eastern Religions 1.1 (2002): 100-149. Academic Source Premier. Web. 22 Nov. 2011. Panaino, Antonio and Piras, Andrea. Schools of oriental studies and the development of modern historiography: proceedings of the Fourth annual symposium of the Assyrian and Babylonian intellectual heritage project held in Ravenna, Italy, October 13-17, 2001. Chicago: Mimesis Edizioni, 2004. Radner, Karen and Robson, Eleanor. The Oxford Handbook of Cuneiform Culture. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Wilford, John N. "When No One Read, Who Started to Write?" New York Times (6 April 1999). Wilford, John N. “Finds in Egypt Date Alphabet in Earlier Era” New York Times (14 November 1999) Wilford, John N. “Old Tablet From Turkish Site Shows Early Spread Of Culture” (9 November 1993). Read More