Beyond Cuneiform: The Indigenous Hieroglyphic Script of Ancient Anatolia
In short: While cuneiform dominated ancient Near Eastern administration, Anatolian societies developed a distinct, native hieroglyphic script exclusively for the Luwian language. This lecture examines the origins, reach, and literacy of this 3,500-year-old writing system.
While governing elites across the Ancient Near East frequently utilized cuneiform for international and domestic records, the Anatolians maintained a unique linguistic tradition. Alongside their adoption of cuneiform to document languages like Hittite, Luwian, and Hattic, they engineered a separate hieroglyphic script specifically for Luwian inscriptions.
Presented by Petra Goedegebuure, an Associate Professor of Hittitology at the University of Chicago, this lecture investigates the development of this indigenous script. It addresses fundamental questions regarding its historical emergence, the extent of its usage, and the social profile of those capable of reading it.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Petra Goedegebuure | Luwian Hieroglyphs: An Indigenous Anatolian Syllabic Script
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/history-petra-goedegebuure-luwian-hieroglyphs-an-indigenous-anatolia.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics
