Synopsis
A fascinating book on the origins of writing.
Before Writing gives a new perspective on the evolution of communication. It points out that when writing began in Mesopotamia it was not, as previously thought, a sudden and spontaneous invention. Instead, it was the outgrowth of many thousands of years' worth of experience at manipulating symbols.
In Volume I: From Counting to Cuneiform, Denise Schmandt-Besserat describes how in about 8000 B.C., coinciding with the rise of agriculture, a system of counters, or tokens, appeared in the Near East. These tokens—small, geometrically shaped objects made of clay—represented various units of goods and were used to count and account for them. The token system was a breakthrough in data processing and communication that ultimately led to the invention of writing about 3100 B.C. Through a study of archaeological and epigraphic evidence, Schmandt-Besserat traces how the Sumerian cuneiform script, the first writing system, emerged from a counting device.
In Volume II: A Catalog of Near Eastern Tokens, Schmandt-Besserat presents the primary data on which she bases her theories. These data consist of several thousand tokens, catalogued by country, archaeological site, and token types and subtypes. The information also includes the chronology, stratigraphy, museum ownership, accession or field number, references to previous publications, material, and size of the artifacts. Line drawings and photographs illustrate the various token types.
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About the Author
Denise Schmandt-Besserat is Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.
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Before Writing: Volume 1: From Counting to Cuneiform
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University of Texas Press, 1992
ISBN 10: 0292707835
ISBN 13: 9780292707832
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Hi. Welcome to our small, family-owned bookstore. Copyright 1992 by the University of Texas Press. ISBN 0292707835. Written by Denise Schmandt-Besserat. Foreword by William W. Hallo. Hardcover with jacket, all Very Good, very much like new. No sign of wear or damage. 269 pages, bright, includes an index. Richly illustrated with b/w photos and drawings.Packaged using bubble wrap and a sturdy cardboard box. Thanks for checking out this book from our small-town brick-and-mortar and supporting small business. Seller Inventory # RLC0318222874
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Before Writing: Volume 1: From Counting to Cuneiform
Published by
University of Texas Press, 1992
ISBN 10: 0292707835
ISBN 13: 9780292707832
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Before Writing Vol. I, From Counting to Cuneiform.
Published by
University of Texas Press, 1992
ISBN 10: 0292707835
ISBN 13: 9780292707832
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1992. Middle East, Classical studies. University of Texas Press. 269p., very good cloth, the dust jacket has a closed cut/scuff at the lower front edge (cuts bit of author's name). Seller Inventory # 23878
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Before Writing, Vol. I: From Counting to Cuneiform: 1
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University of Texas Press 99/n /01 J, 1992
ISBN 10: 0292707835
ISBN 13: 9780292707832
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Before Writing: Volume 1: from Counting to Cuneiform
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University Of Texas Press, Austin, 1992
ISBN 10: 0292707835
ISBN 13: 9780292707832
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Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. First Edition. Hardcover in dust jacket. 4to. First printing. Book is As New in black cloth boards. Dust jacket is also As New, crisp and fresh, with one eighth-inch tear at top. Foreword by William W. Hallo. Illustrated throughout with charts, drawings, and photos. 269 pp. In protective Mylar. Heavy--may require additional postage if shipped other than domestic media mail. Seller Inventory # 72863
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Before Writing: ; Volume 1: from Counting to Cuneiform
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ISBN 13: 9780292707832
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Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. First Edition; First Printing. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1992. 4to. 1st edition, 1st printing. Xviii + [274] pp. Printed black cloth, sharp corners, price sticker/penciled inside front cover & ffep. Dust jacket 1/4 inch tear. Pages: clean, white, as new.; 4to 11" - 13" tall; 292 pages. Seller Inventory # 27423
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BEFORE WRITING VOLUME 1 FROM COUNTING TO CUNEIFORM
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Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. PHOTOS (illustrator). STATED FIRST. A CLEAN CRISP COPY WITH A COPY OF BOOK REVIEW DONE FOR TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE LAID IN A LOOK AT THE USE OF TOKENS USED TO COMMUNICATE GOING BACK 8,000 YEARS IN A BRIGHT CLEAN JACKET UNCLIPPED AND UNRIPPED SEVERAL TINY LIGHT PENCIL MARKS OTHERWISE LIKE NEW. Seller Inventory # 005306
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Before Writing. Volume I (1). From Counting to Cuneiform.
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University of Texas Press, 1992, 269 Pp., 1992
ISBN 10: 0292707835
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Before Writing, Vol. I: From Counting to Cuneiform: 1
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Before Writing Volume I: From Counting To Cuneiform
Published by
University of Texas Press 1992, 1992
ISBN 10: 0292707835
ISBN 13: 9780292707832
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ISBN 0-292-70783-5. Hardback. First Printing. Near Fine Condition book in a Near Fine Condition Dustjacket. Tight, bright, attractive copy with no markings to the book. Copy two. Seller Inventory # 126344