©2014 Scienceweb Publishing

Journal of Educational Research and Reviews

Vol. 2(6), pp. 83-88, September 2014
ISSN: 2384-7301
Review Paper

Tracing writing technologies through time: A historical

reflection of writing systems, writing surfaces and
writing implements
David G. Mugo1* • Samson Muthwii2 • Paul Maina Gakuru3
1
Karatina University, P.O. Box 1957 Karatina – 10300, Kenya.
2
South Eastern University, Kenya.
3
Mt Kenya University, Kenya.

*Corresponding author. [email protected]. Tel: +254 721 290 330.

Accepted 11th August, 2014

Abstract. Instructional technologies, just like any other technology have been evolving over time, and have existed over
centuries. This paper develops a historical framework for the evolution of writing systems, surfaces and instruments up
to the time their most modern prototypes were developed. The study was a documentary analysis of virtual documents
stored electronically for access through the internet, text books, archival repositories and encyclopedia, providing
insights into the past of writing technologies, and how these technologies have been changing over time. The study has
demonstrated that the systems and instruments that we have today arose not by chance, but by careful thought and
intelligent intention to manipulate resources found in nature. The study will provide an understanding of the progression
of the most basic instructional technologies over the time of human civilization.

Keywords: Hieroglyphics, cuneiform, stone tablets, slates, papyrus, pencils, pens, civilization.

INTRODUCTION

When elaborate writing systems began to develop around using his fast accumulating intelligence to further his
4,500BC, the beginning of preservation of knowledge goals. And in his cave-like abode, he developed the first
with concrete rather than oral records was just beginning. ever invention - the hunting club. The hunting club that
Oral records could not extend beyond several included a sharpened stone, attached to a wooded
generations, but where they could; the risk of loss of handle, would be used as a hunting device and an
accuracy was higher than could be imagined. The heavy instrument for skinning his wild catch. It is this device,
demand on human memory demanded the invention of a which would later double as a tool for impressing pictures
method of preserving events revolving around their daily onto the walls of rocks of his cave dwellings (Timothy,
endeavors (Sifuna and Otiende, 2009:15). So whether by 2008:5; Kevin 2000:14). Archeology has demonstrated that
chance or by intention, the beginning of writing attempts, impressions of the rocks represented “events in daily life,
through drawings, signs or words was a deliberate attempt such as planting of crops, business and hunting victories”
to preserve human thoughts and feelings. By extension (http://inventors.about.com/library).
written records provide to the present generation, a clear With the progress of time, drawings evolved into easier-
record of the history of human civilization. to-draw symbols representing words and sentences. By
th
the 7 millennia, moist clay tablets had started to replace
rocks as the chief writing surfaces, and a more elaborate
DEVELOPEMENT OF WRITING SYSTEMS system of recording using pictographs had started to
evolve. The symbols were used to record business
The Homo sapiens was an innovating being, dedicated to transactions amongst merchants.
84 J. Edu. Res. Rev. / Mugo et al.

(Juncus martimus). The reed pen required dipping in ink

or paint. Scholars believe that the development of
Egyptian hieroglyphs was invented under the influence of
the Sumerian Script. By extension, it follows the
Sumerian script was a pioneer of the hieroglyphics. The
Sumerian script was known as Cuneiform (Bright and
Daniels, 1996).
Technically, cuneiform means “wedge shaped” because
most of the marks that defined this system of writing were
wedge shaped. It is believed that the writing was most
probably invented in Uruk in southern Mesopotamia
(modern day Iraq) around 4,000 BC, and existed mainly
in form of pictographs. In the early stages of its
development, cuneiform writing (Figure 1) was
logographic in nature, where a sign represented a thing
or an action. By 1,000BC the system had mutated from
pictographs to more elaborate and smaller alphabetic
signs
(http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/edition2/cuneiformwriting.php).
By 1300BC, the Romans had developed their own form
of writing called historiography. Historiography was used
to preserve “a wide array of information, including
religious documentaries, names of consuls, deaths of
priests, and various disasters throughout history”. Their
chief writing surface were sheets of wax spread on a
Figure 1. Cuneiform clay tablets excavated from an wooden platform, and a metallic pen popularly known as
ancient city ruins at Tell El Amarna, Egypt Dated “stylus”. Other writing forms of the antiquity included the
1380 BC. Source: 'Our Bible & the Ancient
Manuscripts' by Sir Frederick Kenyon (1895 - 4th Chinese logographs (which was based on pictures so
Ed. 1939) Pg 5 and Plate II. In http://www.katapi.org. that the word for “cow” was clearly the picture of a cow's
uk /Bible MSS/ElAmarnaT.htm. head; “to go” was written with the picture of a foot), the
Maya scripts (Mayan glyphs) of the Mesoamerican
civilization and Ethiopia’s Geeze used in ancient Ethiopia
The proto-writing symbols became more evident, and (present day Eretria and the Northern Ethiopia of the
continued to increase in complexity through to 6,000 BC. Horn of Africa). Ethiopian Geeze started to develop
th th
By 4,000 BC, human had begun attempts to make around 7 and 6 Century BC, and is still in use for liturgy
impressions on moist clay tablets using reed and crude in Ethiopian Orthodox Church today.
bone tools. These impressions were credited as the first
form of writing called cuneiform. Cuneiform consisting of
hundreds of wedge shaped marks on wet clay tablets. DEVELOPMENT OF WRITING SURFACES
The tablets were then hardened in ovens, making them
unchangeable. A class of people called scribes emerged. Prior to the invention of paper, ancient people employed
The scribes did most of the writing, and were tasked with many substances for recording their thoughts. These
keeping records, recording of historical events and wrote surfaces include rocks surfaces, clay tablets, metal
societal myths (Timothy, 2008:15; Joshua, 2011). In more plates, papyrus, parchments, vellum, barks and vellum or
advanced civilizations, bronze writing tools were used for any other durable material (Benton, 1969:280). The trend
the same purpose. These attempts started to make an in the evolution of writing material was evolving
impression that great strides in the development of independently in various civilizations before converging to
writing, writing surfaces and writing tools was well in the most ubiquitous writing surface: paper.
progress, events that would shape human civilization In Mesopotamia, clay was readily available and so the
over thousands of years to come. Sumerians only needed to scribe details on it, then
By 1,500 BC, different civilizations, independent of process the clay into hard tablets by baking them on the
each other though, began to develop more elaborate sun. Since they were not portable, clay tablets could only
writing systems. Egyptians developed a writing system be used for preserving, but not transferring information.
that used pictures, popularly known as hieroglyphics. Clay tablets would remain the chief medium for writing
Hieroglyphics was practiced by noble professionals called throughout the Bronze and Iron ages.
“scribes” who carefully made impressions on papyrus Around 3000 BC, Egyptian civilization presented to the
scrolls using thin brushes made from the sea rush plant modern world a more portable material for writing. The
 J. Edu. Res. Rev. / Mugo et al. 85

In 751 AD, the soldiers of the Chinese Tang dynasty

captured Arabs occupying Samarqand (an old
prosperous city along the caravan route between China
and the Mediterranean) in the present day
Kyrgyzstan/Kazakh border. In a retaliation attack, the
Arab Abbasid caliphate captured Chinese prisoners in
what is referred to as the battle of Talas River
(Szczepanski, 2013). In the battle, the caliphate captured
Chinese captives who passed on the skill of paper
making in Samarqand. Samarqand became an important
paper making region because it had sufficient fax, hemp
and plenty of clean water.
Samarqand lied along important caravan route linking
China to the Arab cities of Bagdad, Damascus, Egypt and
the Mediterranean. So the paper making technology
diffused readily along the route and reached Egypt in the
Figure 2. Cyperus payrus: Source: th
10 Century, before spreading along the Mediterranean
http://www.google.co.ke.search?9=cyperus. th
into Morocco in the 12 Century. From Morocco the
technology spread into Valencia in Spain, from where it
material was called Papyrus. Obtained from the papyrus reached Sicily (Italy). In Europe, paper found widespread
th th
plant (Cyperus payrus, Figure 2) a sedge growing along the manufacture in the 14 and 15 century. From Europe
Nile delta of Egypt, the material was superior not only for paper making technology reached North America and the
its portability but because “it was flexible, smooth and first paper mill was built at Roxboro German town, North
able to retain ink without smudge” (www.historyworld.net). Carolina in 1690 (Benton, 1969). Paper remains an
The Egyptians, using a superior ancient technology used important writing surface to this day.
adhesives to join several rectangles from papyrus and
rolled them to make up scrolls (Figure 3). The papyrus
scrolls remained important writing surface during the FROM HUNTING CLUB TO FOUNTAIN PENS
Egyptian, Greek, and Roman civilization.
Far to the East, in Oriental China, the Bamboo tree Pens are instruments for writing using ink or any other
(Bambusa spp.), was the most available and most coloured fluid. Throughout human history, brushes,
convenient writing material. Around 1500BC, the Chinese reeds, bones, bird feathers and other material has been
processed the bamboo into stripes. Vertical logographical used for making pens (Benton, 545). As aforementioned,
impressions were made on each of the vertical stripes, the first writing object was the hunting club. Using the
the stripes were joined with thread to form a Bamboo club, the cave man inscribed his thoughts and
book (www.historyworld.net) (Figure 4). experiences on the hard rock surfaces. However as
In India, palm tree leaves, and the bark of the birch writing systems advanced, and as writing surfaces
trees were important recording surfaces. All along, the continued to take shape, a more elaborate tool for writing
Pergamum region of modern day Turkey had started was necessary. The Greeks are credited with the earliest
processing animal skin into a reputable writing surface. writing object that appeared like the modern pen. They
By 150BC, leather processing technologies had started “employed a writing stylus, made of metal, bone or ivory,
treating leather and converting it into a thin flexible to place marks upon wax-coated tablets”. Far in the
material whose two surfaces could be used for writing. orient, the Chinese, in the second millennium BC, had
This material was called “parchment” and remained an invented and found use of a fluid “designed for
important writing surface in medieval Europe. blackening the surfaces of raised stone-carved
Around 105AD, Tsai Lun, a Chinese court official hieroglyphics”. This ink was originally made of carbon
developed the idea of forming sheets of paper from hemp from pine wood soot mixed with the animal glue
waste, old rags and fish nets, macerated fibers of bark of (Farquhar, 2014; Winter, 1974). This invention was
the Mulberry tree (Broussonetia papyrifera), Laurel credited to a Chinese philosopher, Tien-Lcheu (2697
(Laurusnobilis) and Chinese grass (Miscanthus sinensis) B.C.), and by 1200 B.C the ink had found more common
(Benton, 1969:280). The paper material was thinner and usage for inscription. Other cultures developed inks using
more flexible than papyrus of Egypt and the parchments the natural dyes and colors derived from berries, plants
of the Pergamum. The paper making technology became and naturally occurring minerals. Ink was a perfect fluid
widespread in China and its environs. When the for use on papyrus, parchment and paper. Consequently
technology reached Japan, the Mulberry tree the Romans “converted bamboo stems into a primitive
(Broussonetia papyrifera), Gampi (a plant from Japanese form of fountain pen”, with a well cut nib and the ink
Mountain forest) rice straw and Mitsumata Bark were the carefully filled into the hollow bamboo reservoir. Skillful
raw material for paper manufacture (Benton, 1969). scribes
86 J. Edu. Res. Rev. / Mugo et al.

Figure 3. Processing papyrus plant into papyrus. Adopted from

http://www. puffin.creighton.edu.

Figure 4. Bamboo Book. Adopted from www.chinatoday.com.

would cautiously squeeze the reservoir to force ink into ink reservoir (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quill). Quill pens
the nib, making a perfect impression on the parchments. were preferred writing instruments in the West from the
th th
Bones and rocks could not write on the papyrus scrolls, 6 century, well through into the 18 Century. The early
so the Egyptians used a writing device referred to as one room school houses in the 1700 and 1800s used
“reed Pen”. The reed pens were made from thin reed quill pens to teach students how to write (Judy and Jean,
bushes of the sea rush plant (Juncus martimus) 2011). It is documented that quill pens were used in
(http://www.britannica.com/reed-pen). In many south writing the American constitution in 1787. Today, quill
European areas, where reeds suitable for writing pens are used occasionally by artists and calligraphers
purposes were not indigenous, the feather became the (Benton, 1969; 546) (Figure 5).
th
main writing instrument. The use of quill pens declined in the 18 century after
The reed pen continued being used well into the Middle the invention and mass production of pens with
Ages (350 to 1456 AD) before being replaced by quill maintenance free metallic nib, “which would carry their
pens. Introduced in 700 AD, quill pens were made from own supply of ink”. These pens were called fountain
the first five flight feathers of the left wing of moulting pens, which continue finding application to this day. After
birds (usually, goose, swan bird, eagle, owl, turkey, hawk the discovery of the fountain pen, there have been
or chicken), depending on the availability of the feather. numerous changes and improvements on the shape of
Feathers from the left wings were preferred because they the pen making them more ergonomic, economical and
curve outwards and away from the writer (Benton, vol 9, affordable.
129). The strongest quill was carefully selected from the
feather wings, and required meticulous processing on hot
sand to strengthen it, then sharpening with a very sharp SLATE, CHALKBOARDS AND CHALK
special knife (pen knife) before being used as a writing
implement. The hollow shaft of the feather acted as an Parallel to the advancing pens, parchment and paper, other
 J. Edu. Res. Rev. / Mugo et al. 87

Figure 5. An artistic impression of a calligrapher using a quill pen and a photo of bamboo reed pen: Source:
http://www.google.co.ke/url?. wikipedia.org.

Figure 6. Picture of slate stone fragments on the outskirts of a mine, Britain: Larger pieces of slate stones were used to
make writing slates (left) as well as chalkboards. Source; http://www.google.co.kearchive.html.

writing tools and writing surfaces begun to emerge. The use of the chalkboard in colleges and universities is
surface was called the slate. The slate, made from slate diminishing and being replaced by the white board.
stone (a black metamorphic rock) were used in Indian Besides being a surface for writing, the white board is
th th
schools as early as the 11 Century, and by the 14 used as surfaces for projecting images from a computer
century found quick application in the rapidly expanding application by means of an LCD (liquid crystal display)
school systems of Northern Europe. The slates were projector. The newest entry into the category is the
originally small (4 × 6 inches), required reinforcement interactive white board (sometimes referred to as smart
with wooden frames, written on using a slate pencil or board). The smart board projects the computer’s desktop
chalk. The slates would later mutate into a larger slates onto its surface and allows interaction between it and the
called the chalkboard, an important writing tool in the computer by means of blue tooth protocol (Clarey, 2010;
th th
classrooms of 17 century through to the 20 century Judy and Jean, 2011:6).
(Figure 6).
Chalkboards are credited to have revolutionized
learning since the instructor was now able to present DISCOVERY AND EVOLUTION PENCILS
learning content to a group of learners thereby speeding
up the pace at which classroom instruction was A pencil is a solid rod of graphite enclosed in a wood
progressing (www.wikipedia.org/wiki/slate). Many schools case typically for drawing and writing. The origin of the
around the world still use the chalkboard. However, the pencil can be traced to 1564, when a material called
88 J. Edu. Res. Rev. / Mugo et al.

graphite was discovered in Borrowdale Cumberland, in Bright W, Daniels P (eds). (1996). The world's writing systems. Oxford:
Oxford University Press. Chinese-writing, Traditions and society.
England. The material was observed as quite brittle but
http://asiasociety.org/education/chinese-language-initiatives/
quite visible when used to make markings on the sheep Clarey J (2010). An introduction to e-learning: Learning tools and
of local farmers. Consequently, local people, to make technologies. Sunnyvale, Brandon Hall Research Egyptian
markings using graphite had to tie threads to the graphite hieroglyphs (n.d.).http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_hieroglyphs
downloaded 2-5-14
or push graphite into metallic holders to reinforce it. In Eugene FP, Asterie BP (2009). Encyclopedia of Social Cultural
1683, J. Pettus glued the graphite into wood to provide foundation of education. Sage Publication, Inc. Downloaded from the
what seemed a better reinforcement (Benton, 1969). The world wide web 11-4-14.
pencil as we know it today had just been born. Pencils Farquha J (2014). History of Ancient Ink. http://www.ehow.com
/info8588846 _history-ancient-ink.html
were later patented then mass produced in Nuremberg Frederick K (1939). Our Bible & the Ancient Manuscripts 4th Edition In
Germany in 1662, before blooming into an important http://www.katapi. org. uk /Bible MSS/ElAmarnaT.htm. Downloaded
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industry during the industrial revolution of the 19 8-8-14
century. Today, the graphite in pencil is enclosed with Ge’eze Script (n.d). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ge%27ez_script.
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quality wood, usually Californian Incense Cedar Joshua IM (2011). Cuneiform. In Ancient encyclopedia, Creative
(Libocerdus decurrens) from the east of USA, and Red commons. http://www.ancient. eu.com /cuneiform/ downloaded 1-8-
Kenya Cedar (Junipus virginiana) from Kenya (Benton, 14
1969:548). In 1795, Nicholas Jacques Conté, a French Judy LD, Jean BM (2011). Teaching and Learning with Technology.
New York Pearson Publishers
painter, patented his discovery that the hardness of the Kevin R (2000). Worlds of History, a Comparative reader. Boston,
pencil could be modified by mixing and heating known Bedford/St Martin’s. Pencil History: the earliest form of self-
proportions of powdered graphite with varying amount of expression. http://www.pencils.com. Downloaded
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http://www.britannica.com /EBchecked/topic/495006/reed-pen
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America, to Asia to Africa and the rest of the world where Szczepanski K (2013). The Battle of Talas, A Little-Known Skirmish
they have found ready use by learners, cosmetologists, that Changed World History. Asian History.com in
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(www.rocketcityspacepioneers.com). Butler-Knight Publishers
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CONCLUSION

With time, writing systems, writing surfaces and

instruments continue to change. The typewriter, the
computer keyboard, touch surfaces, interactive boards
and virtual pages have shifted reality writing instruments
and surfaces into a virtual paperless world. This is not a
cause for worry; provided human thoughts, feelings and
opinions are recorded for posterity. To a teacher, digital
writing tools and systems are ably expanding the frontiers
of learning and demanding transformation not only of
pedagogical thought but also the practice of the teaching
enterprise.

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