United News of Bangladesh

The origins of writing may go back tens of thousands of years earlier than previously believed, according to new archaeological research that has surprised scientists. Researchers say they have found repeated and meaningful patterns of lines, dots, notches and crosses engraved on objects up to 45,000 years old in caves in Germany. The findings suggest early humans may have used symbolic systems long before the first known written scripts. Until now, historians believed writing began around 5,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia, in present-day Iraq, with the rise of proto-cuneiform. Later writing systems developed in ancient Egypt, China and Mesoamerica. The newly studied objects include mammoth tusks and ivory figurines discovered in southern Germany, dating to a period just before modern humans moved into Europe from Africa and encountered Neanderthals. The exact meaning of the symbols remains unknown. Prof Christian Bentz of Saarland University, one of the study’s authors, said the markings represent an early alternative to writing. He said the symbol sequences show clear structure and repetition. The research team examined more than 3,000 individual symbols found on 260 objects. Some of the artefacts came from the Lonetal cave system in Baden-Württemberg. Others were found in caves in the Achtal valley. One object is a small mammoth figurine carved from ivory, covered with rows of engraved crosses and dots. Another artefact, known as the “adorant”, shows a human-like figure with rows of dots and notches carved into an ivory plaque. Researchers believe the careful placement and repetition of the marks show they were meant to communicate ideas or information, not just decoration. Ewa Dutkiewicz from Berlin’s Museum of Prehistory and Early History said the findings show Stone Age people were intellectually comparable to modern humans. She said researchers have only begun to understand how widespread such symbol systems may have been. The study found that the density and predictability of the symbols are similar to those seen in early proto-cuneiform tablets from ancient Mesopotamia, which appeared around 40,000 years later. Scientists also noticed that figurines carried denser symbol patterns than tools, suggesting communication was especially important in symbolic objects. Many artefacts were small enough to be carried easily, indicating they were meant for regular use. The researchers said the findings challenge long-held views about the origins of writing and symbolic communication. The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.   With inputs from BBC