CHAPTER Ⅰ．WRITING AS A SYSTEM OF SIGNS 1
Ways of Communicating Ideas 1
Definition of Writing 11
Sources of Information 20
Study of Writing 22
CHAPTER Ⅱ．FORERUNNERS OF WRITING 24
Primitive Drawings 24
Descriptive-Representational Device 29
Identifying-Mnemonic Device 36
Limited Systems 51
CHAPTER Ⅲ．WORD-SYLLABIC SYSTEMS 60
Sumerian System 61
Egyptian System 72
Hittite System 81
Chinese System 85
Proto-Elamite，Proto-Indic，and Cretan Systems 89
Signs in General 97
Word Signs 99
Svllabic Signs 107
Auxiliary Marks 113
Word-Svllabic Writing 113
CHAPTER Ⅳ．SYLLABIC WRITINGS 120
Cuneiform Syllabaries 120
West Semitic Syllabaries 122
Aegean Syllabaries 153
Japanese Syllabary 159
Observations 162
CHAPTER Ⅴ．THE ALPHABET 166
Oriental Forerunners 166
Greek Alphabet 176
Alphabet＇s Conquest of the World 183
CHAPTER Ⅵ．EVOLUTION OF WRITING 190
Stages of Development 190
Pictures 190
Forerunners of Writing 190
Word-Svllabic Systems 194
Svllabic Systems 196
Alphabetic Systems 197
Observations 198
CHAPTER Ⅶ．MODERN WRITINGS AMONG PRIMITIVES 206
Descriptive Presentation 206
Observations 210
CHAPTER Ⅷ．MONOGENESIS OR POLYGENESIS OF WRITING 212
Cultural Background of the Seven Oriental Systems 213
Possible Arguments in Favour of Monogenesis 217
CHAPTER Ⅸ．WRITING AND CIVILIZATION 221
Importance of Writing 221
Writing and Speech 223
Writing and Art 229
Writing and Religion 230
CHAPTER Ⅹ．FUTURE OF WRITING 236
CHAPTER Ⅺ．TERMINOLOGY OF WRITING 248
CHAPTER Ⅻ．BIBLIOGRAPHY 254
NOTES 269
INDEX 309