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Al-Ahram Weekly 1 - 7 April 1999 Issue No. 423 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 1 - 7 April 1999 Issue No. 423
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Interview Profile Features Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Did writing originate in Egypt?
By Nevine El-ArefA series of startling discoveries made by a team of German archaeologists suggests the earliest form of phonetic writing sprung from Egypt, rather than Mesopotamia. The finds go to show there was a gradual development of hieroglyphics over a period of time -- and that they originated at least simultaneously and if not, before, those of the Sumarians.
Texts and inscriptions were unearthed in the pre-dynastic cemetery at Abydos, which point to Ancient Egypt as being the origin of readable phonetic writing.
"Egyptian society was much more advanced than previously thought and it is also clear that the Sohag writings are far more developed than Sumarian examples," said Gunter Dreyer, director-general of the German Archaeological Institute. His team have found 170 inscriptions on clay labels, and 100 ink inscriptions on pottery dating to a time when the kings took the names of animals such as Scorpion, Mouse, Falcon, Double Falcon, Elephant and others.
"We have managed to fully understand two thirds of the inscriptions which have become clearer over the past two years," said Dreyer.
"Man's first writings were not a creative outpouring but the result of economics, when chieftains who expanded their areas of control needed to keep a record of taxes, which in those days were in the form of commodities."
Since 1985 Dreyer and his team have unearthed about 300 pieces of written material on clay labels barely bigger than postage stamps, as well as clay jars and vases with ink impressions. "Most of them are documents, records of linen and oil delivered to the King Scorpion, taxes, short notes, numbers, lists of kings' names, and names of institutions," he said.
"The writing is in the form of line drawings of animals, plants and mountains and is the earliest evidence that hieroglyphics used by later-day Pharaonic dynasties did not rise as phoenix from the ashes but developed gradually," Dreyer explained. "Although the Egyptian writing is in the form of symbols it can be called true writing because each symbol stands for a consonant and makes up syllables. In principle Ancient Egyptians were able to express themselves clearly, while the writings similar to the Egyptian labels found in Mesopotamia make no sense."
Dreyer argues that the discovery reveals that the earliest readable writing originated and developed in Egypt rather than Sumarian-inhabited Mesopotamia, or at least developed simultaneously in both countries, an opinion that is bound to be challenged.
"The debate on the origin of writing has nearly come to an end but more research is needed before a final verdict can be reached," conceded Dreyer.
According to John Baines, professor of Egyptology at Oxford University, Dreyer's findings are very important but more evidence on the comparative ages of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian sample is needed.
However, Gaballa Ali Gaballa, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said: "The earliest known Sumarian writings date back to 3000BC while the German team's find shows that Abydos inscriptions date to 3400BC. The first Pharaonic dynasty began in 2920BC with King Menes. The earliest known writing in Dynasty Zero is much earlier than the oldest writing discovered in Mesopotamia."
