From cave paintings to copperplate, the story of writing is the story of civilization itself.
The History of Writing traces the evolution of writing from the first recorded laws to the digital languages powering today's computers, exploring and explaining the ways in which the written word has shaped cultures, driven scientific progress, and held societies together.
Discover how the earliest scripts developed into modern alphabets through Sumerian cuneiform, Egyptian hieroglyphs, Indus Valley seals, and Chinese oracle bones. Learn about different writing systems - from the Mayan glyphs and the Cherokee syllabary to the still-undeciphered Easter Island Rongorongo script. And marvel at some of the world's most important and beautiful manuscripts, inscriptions, and artefacts along the way.
Written and authenticated by an expert team of specialist authors and consultants, The History of Writing is much more than just a celebration of writing in all its many forms. It is a window into the beliefs and everyday lives of people through the centuries, and a must-have for anyone fascinated by language, culture, and history.
| ISBN: | 9780241774236 |
| Publication date: | 5th November 2026 |
| Author: | DK |
| Publisher: | Dorling Kindersley Limited an imprint of Dorling Kindersley Ltd |
| Format: | Hardback |
| Pagination: | 304 pages |
| Genres: |
Writing systems, alphabets |
From cave paintings to copperplate, the story of writing is the story of civilization itself.
The History of Writing traces the evolution of writing from the first recorded laws to the digital languages powering today's computers, exploring and explaining the ways in which the written word has shaped cultures, driven scientific progress, and held societies together.
Discover how the earliest scripts developed into modern alphabets through Sumerian cuneiform, Egyptian hieroglyphs, Indus Valley seals, and Chinese oracle bones. Learn about different writing systems - from the Mayan glyphs and the Cherokee syllabary to the still-undeciphered Easter Island Rongorongo script. And marvel at some of the world's most important and beautiful manuscripts, inscriptions, and artefacts along the way.
Written and authenticated by an expert team of specialist authors and consultants, The History of Writing is much more than just a celebration of writing in all its many forms. It is a window into the beliefs and everyday lives of people through the centuries, and a must-have for anyone fascinated by language, culture, and history.
The History of Writing features in the following genres: Writing systems, alphabets
The History of Writing is available in Hardback
The History of Writing was written by DK and published by Dorling Kindersley Limited an imprint of Dorling Kindersley Ltd
The History of Writing has 304 pages
£27.00