One of the earliest types of writing known is the cuneiform. Although Sumerian pictographs come from the late fourth millennium BC these are considered protowriting, since information conveyed by symbols without a linguistic structure. Cuneiform as such is fixed around 2800 BC. The term cuneiform comes from the Latin “cuneus,” meaning wedge as it was […]
Continue ReadingThe origins of writing (I) The cylinder seal.
The cylinder seals appear in Mesopotamia (Uruk period, 4100-3300 BC). They were small cylinders of stone, glass or other materials, often semi-precious stones, with a carved relief, which making them roll on a clay tablet left recording the motives, as well as record of the contents of some containers or seal documents. They used to […]
Continue ReadingRoyal Game of Ur
The Royal Game of Ur is one of the oldest known, next to the Egyptian game of Senet. Also called “game of 20 squares” and it was played in Mesopotamia in 2600 BC It is a game for two players, each with seven tiles (black and white) and three pyramidal dice. The board […]
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