Conference item
The early development of the cuneiform writing system, and its regional adaptation
- Abstract:
- In this paper, I examine the early development of cuneiform writing in Mesopotamia and its regional adaptation in Iran during the late 4th and early 3rd millennia BCE. I trace the invention of writing through three key stages: the use of tokens and bullae, the development of numerical tablets, and the invention of numero-ideographic tablets. I argue that the invention of writing may have been a response to economic pressures and resource scarcity rather than a product of ever-increasing bureaucracy in successful, expanding states. I compare proto-cuneiform and proto-Elamite writing systems, highlighting both similarities and innovations in the Iranian adaptation. I discuss the standardization process in Mesopotamia, contrasting it with the lack of a lexical tradition in Iran. I also explore theories on why proto-Elamite writing became obsolete while proto-cuneiform survived and evolved. By examining the structural and content differences between proto-cuneiform and early dynastic texts, I demonstrate that the development of writing was not a straightforward evolution from simple to complex forms. I conclude by reflecting on the nature of early writing systems and their relationship to spoken language, challenging traditional views on the linear development of writing in Western Asia.
- Publication status:
- Published
- Peer review status:
- Peer reviewed
Actions
Access Document
- Files:
-
-
(Preview, Accepted manuscript, pdf, 838.2KB, Terms of use)
-
- Publication website:
- https://mow.or.kr/prog/acdcMats/all/kor/sub06_03/view.do
Authors
Contributors
+ Otta, A
- Role:
- Presenter
+ Regulski, I
- Role:
- Presenter
+ Winan, J
- Role:
- Presenter
+ Haring, B
- Role:
- Presenter
+ Bagvidi, HR
- Role:
- Presenter
- Publisher:
- National Museum of World Writing
- Host title:
- The Dawn of Writing Systems: Cuneiform and Egyptian Hieroglyphs Through the Behistun Inscription and the Rosetta Stone / 학술총서 2. 문자의 여명: 베히스툰 명문과 로제타 석비로 본 쐐기문자와 이집트문자
- Series:
- National Museum of World Writing Academic Series
- Series number:
- 2
- Place of publication:
- Incheon, Korea
- Publication date:
- 2025-01-31
- Acceptance date:
- 2024-12-24
- Event title:
- 2024 International Conference 'Alphabeticus Originalis: The Dawn of Writing through the Rosetta Stone and the Behistun Inscription'
- Event location:
- Incheon, Korea
- Event website:
- https://mow.or.kr/bbs/BBSMSTR_000000000365/view.do
- Event start date:
- 2024-10-11
- Event end date:
- 2024-10-11
- ISBN:
- 9791199051713
- Language:
-
Korean and English
- Keywords:
- Pubs id:
-
2079664
- Local pid:
-
pubs:2079664
- Deposit date:
-
2025-01-22
Terms of use
- Copyright holder:
- Jacob Dahl
- Copyright date:
- 2025
- Rights statement:
- © 2025 The Authors.
- Notes:
- The author accepted manuscript (AAM) of this paper has been made available under the University of Oxford's Open Access Publications Policy, and a CC BY public copyright licence has been applied.
- Licence:
- CC Attribution (CC BY)
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