The Development of Western Writing
Systems: Chronology
note: the "dates"
listed below are extremely rough and subject to revision as new evidence appears;
all dates listed below are only approximate
|
paleolithic
(old stone age) |
3,000,000
Before Present (BP)
|
first stone tools: scrapers, knives
|
|
35,000
- 15,000 BP
|
cave paintings and hand "prints" in Europe; incised bones |
|
|
15,000
-10,000 BP
|
Lascaux
paintings
|
|
|
neolithic
(new stone age) |
6,000 - 3,000 before the common era (BCE = BC)
|
settled
agriculture
ceramics |
|
5000
- 3000 BCE
|
writing
systems begin to develop
|
|
|
bronze
age
|
3000
-1500 BCE
|
|
|
2900
BCE
|
cylinder
seals used in ancient Near East
|
|
|
2600
BCE
|
earliest
surviving papyrus manuscripts in Egypt
|
|
|
2500
BCE
|
Cuneiform
develops in Near East
|
|
|
1700
BCE
|
Linear
A develops on Crete
|
|
|
c.
1500 BCE
|
Linear
B developed by Mycenaean Greeks
|
|
|
iron
age
|
c.
1000 BCE
|
Phoenicians
develop alphabetic system
|
|
c.
900-800 BCE
|
Greeks
adapt Phoenician signs and create alphabet with vowels
|
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10.09.07