Seminar onSeminar on

““EVOLUTION OF PHYEVOLUTION OF PHYSICAL MEDIA”SICAL MEDIA”

Presented by,Presented by,

S. Arun S. Arun

Joseph.Joseph.

M.L.I.Sc.M.L.I.Sc.

CONTENTSCONTENTS• IntroductionIntroduction

• Bronze age writing Bronze age writing • Cuneiform script – MesopotamiaCuneiform script – Mesopotamia• Hieroglyphics – EgyptHieroglyphics – Egypt• Indus ScriptsIndus Scripts• Chinese writingChinese writing

• Iron age writingIron age writing• History of alphabetHistory of alphabet

• Modern writingModern writing• Ancient writing materialsAncient writing materials

• ClayClay• ParchmentParchment• PaperPaper

• Conclusion

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION• Language existed long before writing Language existed long before writing • Painting Pictures on cave walls Telling a “story”Painting Pictures on cave walls Telling a “story”• Hunter gather societies permanent agrarian encampmentsHunter gather societies permanent agrarian encampments• Agrarian society Written languageAgrarian society Written language• Harold Adams Innis --- Bias of communicationHarold Adams Innis --- Bias of communication

MediaMedia

Time biased mediaTime biased media Space biased mediaSpace biased media

(Clay tablets, parchments, oral (Clay tablets, parchments, oral (Radio, television, (Radio, television, computer, News papers)computer, News papers)

sources such as Homer’s sources such as Homer’s

epic Poems)epic Poems)

BRONZE AGE WRITINGBRONZE AGE WRITING

i)i) Cuneiform script – Mesopotamia Cuneiform script – Mesopotamia (Sumerians).(Sumerians).

• The original Sumerian writing The original Sumerian writing system derives from a system of system derives from a system of clay tokens.clay tokens.

• By the end of the 4By the end of the 4thth Millennium Millennium BC, this had evolved.BC, this had evolved.

Hieroglyphic Writing - Hieroglyphic Writing - EgyptEgypt

• Hieroglyphic system was always Hieroglyphic system was always difficult to learndifficult to learn

• Writing was important in Writing was important in maintaining the Egyptian maintaining the Egyptian empire.empire.

• Literacy was concentrated among Literacy was concentrated among an educated elite of Scribes. an educated elite of Scribes.

iii) Indus Scriptsiii) Indus Scripts

• The middle bronze age Indus script The middle bronze age Indus script which dated back to the early which dated back to the early Harappan phase of around 3000 BC.Harappan phase of around 3000 BC.

• It is unclear whether it should be It is unclear whether it should be considered as an example of proto considered as an example of proto writing or logographic syllabic type.writing or logographic syllabic type.

iv) Chinese Writingiv) Chinese Writing• Marking on turtle shells or Marking on turtle shells or

jiaguwen , are attested from the late jiaguwen , are attested from the late shang (1200 – 1050 BC).shang (1200 – 1050 BC).

• The writings from the shang Dynasty The writings from the shang Dynasty are the direct ancestor of modern are the direct ancestor of modern Chinese characters.Chinese characters.

IRON AGE WRITINGIRON AGE WRITING – – History of alphabet.History of alphabet.

• The Phoenician alphabet is simply The Phoenician alphabet is simply the proto – connanite alphabet as it the proto – connanite alphabet as it was continued into the Iron age.was continued into the Iron age.

• The Greek alphabet for the first time The Greek alphabet for the first time introduces vowel signs.introduces vowel signs.

• Aramic alphabet evolved into the Aramic alphabet evolved into the Hebrew, syriac and Arabic abjads.Hebrew, syriac and Arabic abjads.

MODERN WRITING.MODERN WRITING. ** The pen printing press, computer, The pen printing press, computer,

and the mobile phone are the and the mobile phone are the technological which have altered technological which have altered physical media.physical media.

* Due to digital technologies, * Due to digital technologies, characters can be formed by the characters can be formed by the press of a button, rather than press of a button, rather than making the physical motion with the making the physical motion with the handhand..

ANCIENT WRITING ANCIENT WRITING MATERIALSMATERIALS

i)i) ClayClay• The cuneiform texts of Babylonia The cuneiform texts of Babylonia

and Sumeria , plus the ancient and Sumeria , plus the ancient Greek documents in Linear B are Greek documents in Linear B are found on clay.found on clay.

• These give us our earliest linguistic These give us our earliest linguistic evidence for both Greek and evidence for both Greek and Semitic languages.Semitic languages.

ii) Parchmentii) Parchment

• Parchment is the dried skin of Parchment is the dried skin of animals.animals.

• We have a substantial leather roll We have a substantial leather roll from the time of Rameses II.from the time of Rameses II.

• Best writing material known to the Best writing material known to the ancients.ancients.

iii) PAPYRUSiii) PAPYRUS

• Made from papyrus plant Made from papyrus plant • Individual sheets of papyrus were of Individual sheets of papyrus were of

course of ten sold for use in record – course of ten sold for use in record – keeping, memoranda, writing keeping, memoranda, writing material etc.material etc.

• One of the real problems with One of the real problems with papyrus was its fragility.papyrus was its fragility.

• Earliest Christian writings were on Earliest Christian writings were on papyrus.papyrus.

iv) Paper.iv) Paper.

• Except that early paper was made Except that early paper was made from rags, eg: of linen, rather than from rags, eg: of linen, rather than wood pulp and that it become wood pulp and that it become popular as a writing material only popular as a writing material only around the twelfth century.around the twelfth century.

CONCLUSION.

• The concepts of time and space reflect the The concepts of time and space reflect the significance of media to civilization.significance of media to civilization.

• Media that emphasize time are those durable Media that emphasize time are those durable in character such as parchment, clay and in character such as parchment, clay and stone.stone.

• Media that emphasize space are apt to be less Media that emphasize space are apt to be less durable and light in character such as papyrus durable and light in character such as papyrus and paper.and paper.

• Technologies, and the people who invent, Technologies, and the people who invent, develop and use technologies, play a central develop and use technologies, play a central role in the making of history.role in the making of history.

EVOLUTION PHYSICAL MEDIA

THANK

YOU………!