China discovers 5,000-year-old primitive writing

Archaeologists in Beijing say they have discovered a new form of primitive writing in markings on stoneware excavated from a site in eastern China dating about 5,000 years back. The inscriptions are about 1,400 years older than the oldest known written Chinese language and around the same age as the oldest writing in the world.

The inscriptions have not been reviewed by experts outside of the country, but a group of Chinese scholars on archaeology and ancient writing met last weekend in Zhejiang province to discuss the finding. They agreed that the incisions -- found on more than 200 pieces dug out from the Neolithic-era Liangzhu relic site south of Shanghai -- are not enough to indicate any developed writing system. But lead archaeologist Xu Xinmin said they include evidence of words on two broken stone-axe pieces.
One of the pieces has six word-like shapes strung together to resemble a short sentence. The pieces are among thousands of fragments of ceramic, stone, jade, wood, ivory and bone excavated from the Liangzhu relic site between 2003 and 2006, Xu said.
"They are different from the symbols we have seen in the past on artifacts," Xu said of the markings. "The shapes and the fact that they are in a sentence-like pattern indicate they are expressions of some meaning."

Well if proven to be correct I think its pretty cool to think that the Chinese were writing 5000 years ago

Link

has six word-like shapes strung together to resemble a short sentence

"This good product made in China"

Really though this is cool. I like to read (and have for years) about "old scripts" and symbols (really old)

Good find!!

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha


Thats great , I love when stuff like this pops up. These things dont rewrite history but they help change the narrative.
Escpecially in that part of the world , ancient chinese culture is fascinating.

Posted pic for those that what to figure it out (compare etc..)




""If five to six of them are strung together like a sentence, they are no longer symbols but words," said Cao Jinyan, a scholar on ancient writing at Hangzhou-based Zhejiang University. He said the markings should be considered hieroglyphics.'

reply to post by RUFFREADY


Sorry I did'nt add that image as it said it was undated so I assumed it was a stock handout image and not necessarily one of the stoneware peices they were on about in the article?

Originally posted by Lady_Tuatha
reply to post by RUFFREADY

 

Sorry I did'nt add that image as it said it was undated so I assumed it was a stock handout image and not necessarily one of the stoneware peices they were on about in the article?

It seems that it is the "object' re: updated photo

"Markings etched on an unearthed piece of a stone ax are shown in this undated handout image. The relic was found near a Zhuangqiao grave in Pinghu, in eastern China's Zhejiang province. Archaeologists say they have discovered a new form of primitive writing in markings on stoneware excavated from the relic site in eastern China dating 5,000 years back. (AP Photo)"

Heck..I don't know

undated /updated..

still they did say ax.

reply to post by RUFFREADY


Hmmm... it almost looks like a map of sorts. Almost like trails and rivers maybe with a settlement where the square shape is. Interesting, a stone map would last a lot longer than any other mediums and you would always have your axe with you.

Whatever it is it does appear knowledge it being transferred.

Turn it 90 degrees to the right.

There is the word 'OF' in big letters, written in English positioned under the hole.

There's a large triangle too.

The lines, swirls and so on seem to me to be later additions to the stone.

Graffiti maybe, while half buried flat side up?

British soldiers may well have been in that area during the mid - 1800's, it could well be the work of a bored 19th century squaddie, on what looks like a genuine artifact. 'Private so-and-so of some regiment 1859' or something like that.

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha


S & F for a great thread. Although, it's disheartening to think a story from 2003 to 2006 is just now coming to light....

Inscription dates back to King David – but what does it say?
5 hours ago

Maybe this one was found more recently? More mystery writing.

Israeli archaeologists say a 3,000-year-old fragment of a ceramic jar found near Jerusalem's Temple Mount, dating back to the days of King David and King Solomon, bears a mysterious inscription that ranks as the earliest alphabetical written text ever found in the city.

This jar fragment from the time of Kings David and Solomon is the earliest alphabetical written text ever discovered in Jerusalem.

The archaeologists behind the find, led by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Eilat Mazar, say that combination of letters doesn't correspond to any known word in west-Semitic languages — and thus, its meaning is unknown. But they suspect that the inscription specifies the contents of the jar or the name of its owner.

So anybody know what it says?


link to source www.nbcnews.com...

Originally posted by RUFFREADY
Inscription dates back to King David – but what does it say?
5 hours ago

Maybe this one was found more recently? More mystery writing.

Israeli archaeologists say a 3,000-year-old fragment of a ceramic jar found near Jerusalem's Temple Mount, dating back to the days of King David and King Solomon, bears a mysterious inscription that ranks as the earliest alphabetical written text ever found in the city.

This jar fragment from the time of Kings David and Solomon is the earliest alphabetical written text ever discovered in Jerusalem.

The archaeologists behind the find, led by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Eilat Mazar, say that combination of letters doesn't correspond to any known word in west-Semitic languages — and thus, its meaning is unknown. But they suspect that the inscription specifies the contents of the jar or the name of its owner.

So anybody know what it says?


link to source www.nbcnews.com...

edit on 10-7-2013 by RUFFREADY because: (no reason given)

I have translated it...

It says : Made in China... *winks*

Haven't got a clue what it says but thanks to the OP for the original article.

Kindest respects

Rodinus

Well, we all know what this guy would say -

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha


Cant have a proper thread on ats without the good doctor dropping by and chiming in with his opinion.
That dr tsoukalos sure is a funny fellow.

Wow, this is awesome!

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha


He would say there was no way to make stone axes 5000 years ago without diamond tipped sharpeners provided by aliens that landed on the nazca runway and teleported to china.

Originally posted by MysterX
Turn it 90 degrees to the right.

There is the word 'OF' in big letters, written in English positioned under the hole.

...

Or you could read it as chinese characters 女　母/舟. Probably just some random scratches though. I'm more interested in the pattern on the left. Looks like some sort of geometricaly shaped ornaments (which were found in many old cultures) to me.