Changes

==Sumer==

==Sumer==

[[Image:Letter Luenna Louvre AO4238.jpg|200px|right|thumb|A cuneiform letter from a Sumerian queen to her king, dating from the third millenium BC.]]

[[Image:Letter Luenna Louvre AO4238.jpg|200px|right|thumb|A cuneiform letter from a Sumerian queen to her king, dating from the third millennium BC.]]

The earliest language was that developed in the "[[fertile crescent]]," which is modern-day [[Iraq]].  The [[Sumerian]] and [[Babylonian]] civilizations which lived there developed a writing system known as [[cuneiform]].  Cuneiform appears to have developed as a tallying system developed for commercial trade.  As the economy of the region diversified, it became necessary to keep track of transactions, as well as to write contracts and legal codes.   

The earliest language was that developed in the "[[fertile crescent]]," which is modern-day [[Iraq]].  The [[Sumerian]] and [[Babylonian]] civilizations which lived there developed a writing system known as [[cuneiform]].  Cuneiform appears to have developed as a tallying system developed for commercial trade.  As the economy of the region diversified, it became necessary to keep track of transactions, as well as to write contracts and legal codes.   

One of the earliest complete documents we have is the Sumerian King List, which listed the kings of ancient Sumer.  This list provides extra-biblical evidence of an ancient flood which covered the entire Earth.

One of the earliest complete documents we have is the Sumerian King List, which listed the kings of ancient Sumer.  This list provides extra-biblical evidence of an ancient flood which covered the entire Earth.

Unlike many writing systems of the ancient world, the clay tablets that cuneiform tended to be written on can survive for thousands of years.  We have a personal letter from a queen to a king dating from the third millenium BC.  Some dating techniques place this letter at 2400 BC, over 150 years before the Tower of Babel, when Sumerian was the only language in the world.  See picture.

Unlike many writing systems of the ancient world, the clay tablets that cuneiform tended to be written on can survive for thousands of years.  We have a personal letter from a queen to a king dating from the third millennium BC.  Some dating techniques place this letter at 2400 BC, over 150 years before the Tower of Babel, when Sumerian was the only language in the world.  See picture.

In the 7th century BC, the [[Epic of Gilgamesh]] was written with cuneiform, one of the earliest works of [[literature]].

In the 7th century BC, the [[Epic of Gilgamesh]] was written with cuneiform, one of the earliest works of [[literature]].

Greek was also heavily influenced by simplified Egyptian hieroglyphs, Hebrew and Phoenician.  All these writing systems developed about the same time in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Greek was also heavily influenced by simplified Egyptian hieroglyphs, Hebrew and Phoenician.  All these writing systems developed about the same time in the Eastern Mediterranean.

By 1491 BC, Hebrew was sufficiently developed for the Ten Commandments (presumably written in Hebrew, although possibly in Egyptian heiroglyphs) to be written by God on Sinai.  The earliest Hebrew inscriptions still existing date from approximately 1000 BC, shortly before the rise of the Kingdom.  Hebrew was abandoned for non-religious texts during the [[Babylonian exile]] in favor of Aramaic, and remained so until [[Diaspora]] of 135 AD, when Jews began to use Hebrew more to keep in touch with their identity while among non-Jews.

By 1491 BC, Hebrew was sufficiently developed for the Ten Commandments (presumably written in Hebrew, although possibly in Egyptian hieroglyphs) to be written by God on Sinai.  The earliest Hebrew inscriptions still existing date from approximately 1000 BC, shortly before the rise of the Kingdom.  Hebrew was abandoned for non-religious texts during the [[Babylonian exile]] in favor of Aramaic, and remained so until [[Diaspora]] of 135 AD, when Jews began to use Hebrew more to keep in touch with their identity while among non-Jews.

[[Category:Communication]]

[[Category:Communication]]

[[Category:Writing]]

[[Category:Writing]]