Writing may have begun in Egypt -- archaeologists
09:45 a.m. Dec 15, 1998 Eastern
By Nahed Tantawy
CAIRO, Dec 15 (Reuters) - German archaeologists said on Tuesday they have discovered ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic inscriptions which raise questions about the origin of writing.
``It was thought that Sumerians were earlier in writing than Egypt,'' Gunter Dreyer, director of the German Archaeological Institute in Egypt, told a news conference.
``With our findings we see now it's on the same level and this is an open question: was it (writing) invented here or there?''
An expedition from the institute discovered the inscriptions on about 300 pots and labels over a period of 10 years at an ancient royal cemetery, named ``the Mother of Pots'' for its rich pottery work, in Abydos, about 400 km (250 miles) south of Cairo.
The earliest known Sumerian writings were thought to date back to 3000 BC but the German Institute's new findings show some writings dating back to 3400 BC. ``But the bulk of the (institute's) evidence is about 3200 BC,'' Dreyer said.
The German archaeologist said Egyptian inscriptions of that time were more advanced and readable than those in Mesopotamia, inhabited by the Sumerians. ``Our colleagues in Mesopotamia don't have explanations of their (writings') meaning,'' he said.
The inscriptions, presented to reporters on a slide projector, were of animals, plants and mountains. Dreyer said they referred to plantations belonging to various kings, as it was common for ancient kings to take animal names such as scorpion or falcon.
Most discoveries were from one of the many tombs within the cemetery, that of a King Scorpion the First. ``A tomb of a pre-dynastic ruler,'' Dreyer told reporters.
About two-thirds of the inscriptions found have so far been deciphered, he added.
Dreyer said it was possible that Sumerians who traded with Egypt copied Egyptian inscriptions.
``But we have to wait for further evidence,'' he added, saying publication of his results would appear in early 1999.
``We will continue the excavation of this cemetery and maybe we will learn more,'' he said, adding that this was likely to take a further 10 years.
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