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Undeciphered writing systems
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<h2 id="proto-writing">Proto-writing</h2> <p>Certain forms of <a href="/facts/Proto-writing/LW2yoFHG">proto-writing</a> remain undeciphered and, because of a lack of evidence and linguistic descendants, it is quite likely that they will never be deciphered. </p> <h3>Neolithic signs in China</h3> <h4>Yellow River civilization</h4> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Jiahu_symbols/xbbLMIrK">Jiahu symbols</a> – <a href="/facts/Peiligang_culture/EnmW9eWv">Peiligang culture</a>, from China, c. 6600 – 6200 BC.</li> <li>Damaidi symbols – <a href="/facts/Damaidi/MvmDyJDs">Damaidi</a>, from China, earliest estimated dates range from the <a href="/facts/Paleolithic/I48SMHo5">Paleolithic</a> to approximately 3000 years ago.</li> <li>Dadiwan symbols – <a href="/facts/Dadiwan/2Q6g48EN">Dadiwan</a>, from China, c. 5800 – 5400 BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Banpo_symbols/XNqlyqHr">Banpo symbols</a> – <a href="/facts/Yangshao_culture/61WKDbfz">Yangshao culture</a>, from China, 5th millennium BC.</li> <li>Jiangzhai symbols – <a href="/facts/Yangshao_culture/61WKDbfz">Yangshao culture</a>, from China, 4th millennium BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Dawenkou_symbols/XNqlyqHr">Dawenkou symbols</a> – <a href="/facts/Dawenkou_culture/BoMIY03o">Dawenkou culture</a>, c. 2800 – 2500 BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Longshan_symbols/XNqlyqHr">Longshan symbols</a> – <a href="/facts/Longshan_culture/qlXW2uLJ">Longshan culture</a>, from China, c. 2500 – 1900 BC.</li></ul> <h4>Yangtze civilization</h4> <ul><li>Wucheng symbols – <a href="/facts/Wucheng_culture/H5F80Foz">Wucheng culture</a>, from China, c. 1600 BC.</li></ul> <p>Other areas </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Sawgoek/XetgnRsq">Sawveh</a> – <a href="/facts/Guangxi/1BIHzs3q">Guangxi</a>, from China; possible proto-writing or writing.</li></ul> <h3>Neolithic signs in Europe</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Vin%C4%8Da_symbols/yGN6KkNR">Vinča symbols</a> – <a href="/facts/Neolithic_Europe/rK7oRvBP">Neolithic Europe</a>, from Central Europe and Southeastern Europe, c. 4500 BC – 4000 BC.</li></ul> <h2 id="afro-eurasian-scripts">Afro-Eurasian scripts</h2> <h3>South Asia</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Indus_script/HTwS3ruS">Indus script</a>, c. 3500 BC to 1900 BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Vikramkhol_Cave_Inscription/V3wk9XuS">Vikramkhol inscription</a>, c. 1500 BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Megalithic_graffiti_symbols/bxrvHDUR">Megalithic graffiti symbols</a>, c. 1000 BC – 300 AD, possible writing system and possible descendant of <a href="/facts/Indus_script/HTwS3ruS">Indus script</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Pushkarasari_script/W8dqlcPt">Pushkarasari script</a> – <a href="/facts/Gandhara/1wXE3fgW">Gandhara</a>, 3rd century BC to 8th century AD.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Shankhalipi/GHWYVcSc">Shankhalipi</a>, c. 4th to 8th century.</li></ul> <h3>West Asia</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Proto-Elamite_script/2vpP1HGf">Proto-Elamite script</a>, c. 3200 BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Jiroft_culture/hzy585g9">Jiroft script</a>, c. 2200 BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Byblos_syllabary/heJX89qC">Byblos syllabary</a> – the city of Byblos, c. 1700 BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Trojan_script/JhYR5JdN">Trojan script</a> – the city of Troy, 2600 BC – 1850 BC</li></ul> <h3>East Asia</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Ba%E2%80%93Shu_scripts/8YW0L9nK">Ba–Shu scripts</a>, 5th to 4th century BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Khitan_large_script/Np2lf7k2">Khitan large script</a> and <a href="/facts/Khitan_small_script/ImHWzhKv">Khitan small script</a> – <a href="/facts/Khitan_language/eBwG7ut5">Khitan</a>, 10th century, not fully deciphered.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Tujia_language/Q6SvgUeJ">Tujia script</a>.</li></ul> <h3>Southeast Asia</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Singapore_Stone/vWAvhC9p">Singapore Stone</a>, a fragment of a <a href="/facts/Sandstone/RP8B6fqL">sandstone</a> slab inscribed with an ancient <a href="/facts/Southeast_Asia/VafwT517">Southeast Asian</a> script, perhaps <a href="/facts/Old_Javanese_language/tuuQKGvf">Old Javanese</a> or <a href="/facts/Sanskrit/ychfjhlx">Sanskrit</a>. At least 13th century, and possibly as early as 10th to 11th century.</li></ul> <h3>Central Asia</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Bactria%E2%80%93Margiana_Archaeological_Complex/BltGCqup">Oxus script</a>, c. 2200 BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Issyk_inscription/JabasEtK">Issyk inscription</a>, Kazakhstan, c. 4th century BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Kushan_script/4IaYBlfQ">Kushan script</a>, c. 2nd century BC – 7th century AD, partially deciphered.</li></ul> <h3>Europe</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Cretan_hieroglyphs/I37s4d7I">Cretan hieroglyphs</a>, c. 2100 BC. <ul><li>Linear A and Cretan hieroglyphs are scripts from an unknown language, one possibility being a yet to be deciphered <a href="/facts/Minoan_language/VnwDrYjA">Minoan language</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> Several words have been decoded from the scripts, but no definite conclusions on the meanings of the words have been made.</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Phaistos_Disc/2lVsFqg7">Phaistos Disc</a>, c. 2000 BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Linear_A/30d2ambk">Linear A</a>, c. 1800 BC – 1450 BC, partially deciphered. Phonetic transcriptions can be read with some approximation. Scholars can understand some of the words, and get a general idea of the document's contents.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Cypro-Minoan_syllabary/kQ1ja2ta">Cypro-Minoan syllabary</a>, c. 1550 BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Grakliani_Hill/Ud8u3t1V">Grakliani Hill script</a> – <a href="/facts/Grakliani_Hill/Ud8u3t1V">Grakliani Hill</a>, c. 11th – 10th century BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Paleohispanic_scripts/aXqoBrvv">Paleohispanic scripts</a>. <ul><li><a href="/facts/Southwest_Paleohispanic_script/ILW2hJQK">Southwest Paleohispanic script</a>, from c. 700 BC.</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Sitovo_inscription/4WTVoTtR">Sitovo inscription</a>, c. 300 – 100 BC.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Alekanovo_inscription/BkakI38U">Alekanovo inscription</a>, c. 10th – 11th century.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Rohonc_Codex/I24g8unz">Rohonc Codex</a>, c. 1600s – 1800s.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Voynich_manuscript/TVmWnJhg">Voynich manuscript</a>, carbon-dated to the 15th century.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a></li> <li>An inscription in the Pisa Baptistery.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a></li></ul> <h3>North Africa</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/The_Starving_of_Saqqara/aNgqHFk3">The Starving of Saqqara</a> – possibly dating to <a href="/facts/Pre-dynastic_Egypt/DGNDIHm5">pre-dynastic Egypt</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Wadi_el-Hol_inscriptions/bIpXwHIa">Wadi el-Hol inscriptions</a> - Found in Egypt, c. 1800 BCE - 1900 BCE, and resembles <a href="/facts/Proto-Sinaitic_script/aqPygGcT">Proto-Sinaitic script</a>.</li></ul> <h3>Sub-Saharan Africa</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Eghap_script/tX4g9L2k">Eghap script</a> – <a href="/facts/Cameroon/QnrdY05C">Cameroon</a>, c. 1900, partially deciphered.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Ancient_inscriptions_in_Somalia/INqwxqlT">Ancient inscriptions in Somalia</a> – According to the Ministry of Information and National Guidance of Somalia, inscriptions can be found on various old <i>Taalo Tiiriyaad</i> structures. These are enormous stone mounds found especially in northeastern Somalia. Among the main sites where these Taalo are located are Xabaalo Ambiyad in <a href="/facts/Alula_District/Rtf2nU0Y">Alula District</a>, Baar Madhere in Beledweyne District, and Harti Yimid in <a href="/facts/Las_Anod_District/H3T2rWbv">Las Anod District</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a></li></ul> <h2 id="american-scripts">American scripts</h2> <h3>Andean Region</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Quipu/stJkKV9v">Quipu</a> – <a href="/facts/Inca_Empire/GjNowI6t">Inca Empire</a> and predecessor states, like the <a href="/facts/Wari_Empire/9MHulAsm">Huari Empire</a> or the <a href="/facts/Caral%E2%80%93Supe_civilization/6eEH9NjG">Caral–Supe civilization</a>, c. 2600 BC – 20th century. It was used, among other peoples, by Quechua speakers (who called it "<i>Khipu"</i>), Aymara speakers ("<i>Chinu"</i>) and Mapuche speakers ("<i>Püron</i>").<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> It could possibly be a writing system or a set of writing systems, since two Quechua words have been recently deciphered in 2017. These decipherments apparently show that linguistic usage of Quipus followed a logosyllabic pattern.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a></li></ul> <h3>Mesoamerica</h3> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Olmec_hieroglyphs/IUJtFP59">Olmec Hieroglyphs</a>, c. 1000 BC – 400 BC, possibly the mother script of Mesoamerica.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> Thought to be logosyllabic like all of its descendants.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Zapotec_script/SGQJgooK">Zapotec Hieroglyphs</a>, c. 500 BC – 800 AD, possibly logosyllabic.</li> <li>Ñuiñe Hieroglyphs, c. 400 AD – 800 AD. Similar to Zapotec and possibly an offshoot of it in the Mixteca Baja. Possibly logosyllabic.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Isthmian_script/zr985qP2">Epi-olmec Hieroglyphs</a>, c. 400 BC – 500 AD, apparently logosyllabic.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Mesoamerican_writing_systems/SGQJgooK">Izapan Hieroglyphs</a>, <a href="/facts/Mesoamerican_chronology/8xNnpP70">Late Preclassic</a>, probably an offshoot of Epi-olmec in the Pacific Coast and the direct ancestor to Lowland Maya Hieroglyphs. Probably logosyllabic.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a></li> <li>Classic Gulf Coast Hieroglyphs, Early Classic to Early Postclassic. Possibly an offshoot of Epi-olmec in the Gulf of Mexico. Probably logosyllabic.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Mesoamerican_writing_systems/SGQJgooK">Teotihuacan Hieroglyphs</a>, c. 100 BC – 700 AD, possibly a logosyllabary. Possibly inspired from the Zapotec script, and itself being the probable ancestor of the <a href="/facts/Post-Classic/8xNnpP70">Postclassic</a> Mixteca-Puebla Script.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Cotzumalhuapa/wQNtueSS">Cotzumalhuapa Hieroglyphs</a>, 0 CE – 1000 CE. A script in the Lower Pacific Coast possibly derived from the writing system at Teotihuacan.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> Probably a logosyllabary.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Mesoamerican_chronology/8xNnpP70">Epiclassic/Early Postclassic</a> Hieroglyphs of <a href="/facts/El_Taj%C3%ADn/IbNE4q74">El Tajín</a>, <a href="/facts/Xochicalco/9tELsBYy">Xochicalco</a>, <a href="/facts/Cacaxtla/NG2o3VuR">Cacaxtla</a>, <a href="/facts/Teotenango/eeMyugLB">Teotenango</a>, <a href="/facts/Tula_(Mesoamerican_site)/fdeXFeDe">Tula</a> and <a href="/facts/Chichen_Itza/fUahLnmR">Chichén Itzá</a>. Probably logosyllabic. Descended from Teotihuacan Hieroglyphs and mother script of the Mixteca-Puebla Hieroglyphs.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a></li></ul> <p>Virtually all <a href="/facts/Mesoamerican_writing_systems/SGQJgooK">Mesoamerican Glyphic Scripts</a> remain undeciphered, with the only exceptions being <a href="/facts/Maya_script/MYVpESKV">Lowland Maya Hieroglyphs</a> and <a href="/facts/Mesoamerican_writing_systems/SGQJgooK">Mixteca-Puebla Hieroglyphs</a> (represented by several regional glyphic traditions used in the whole of Postclassic Mesoamerica outside the <a href="/facts/Maya_Lowlands/LvQLlJtj">Maya Lowlands</a>, the most well known of which are the <a href="/facts/Aztec_script/2G2pRSC9">Aztec Script</a> and the <a href="/facts/Mixtec_writing/Whk1YT8G">Mixtec Script</a>). All Mesoamerican writing systems are thought by linguist Alfonso Lacadena (Lacadena 2012) to descend from Olmec Glyphs, with it splitting in the Late Formative into three branches: Epi-olmec, Zapotec and Central Mexican (from this branch would eventually emerge the Teotihuacan Glyphic Script). </p> <h2 id="oceanian-scripts">Oceanian scripts</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Rongorongo/tRkjwgwE">Kōhau Rongorongo</a> – <a href="/facts/Rapa_Nui_language/bunExhd4">Rapa Nui</a>. After 1200, before 1860. Probably logosyllabic.</li></ul> <h2 id="related-concepts-texts-that-are-not-writing-systems">Related concepts: texts that are not writing systems</h2> <p>One very similar concept is that of <a href="/facts/False_writing_system/DD5Ncmdu">false writing systems</a>, which appear to be writing but are not. False writing cannot be deciphered because it has no <a href="/facts/Semantics/1L4WwLAP">semantic</a> meaning. These particularly include <a href="/facts/Asemic_writing/DD5Ncmdu">asemic writing</a> created for <a href="/facts/Artistic_language/ClNKkSCs">artistic purposes</a>. One prominent example is the <i><a href="/facts/Codex_Seraphinianus/raAI2W1h">Codex Seraphinianus</a></i>. </p><p>Another similar concept is that of undeciphered <a href="/facts/Cryptogram/YPIngwDc">cryptograms</a>, or <a href="/facts/Cipher/eJnuftYe">cipher</a> messages. These are not writing systems <i>per se</i>, but a disguised form of another text. Of course any cryptogram is intended to be undecipherable by anyone except the intended recipient so vast numbers of these exist, but a few examples have become famous and are listed in <a href="/facts/List_of_ciphertexts/pvHREYNQ">list of ciphertexts</a>. </p> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081209035721/http://cdli.ucla.edu/wiki/doku.php/proto-elamite">Proto-Elamite (CDLI link)</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.prehistory.it/ftp/winn.htm">Vinča signs (The Old European Script: Further evidence – Shan M. M. Winn)</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Salgarella, Ester (2022). "Linear A". In Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Antony; Eidinow, Esther (eds.). Oxford Classical Dictionary. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.8927 (inactive 1 November 2024). ISBN 978-0-19-938113-5.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link) <a href="978-0-19-938113-5" target="_blank">978-0-19-938113-5</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>[1] Meissner, T., & Steele, P., "Linear A and Linear B: Structural and contextual concerns", Edizioni Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 2017 <a href="https://api.repository.cam.ac.uk/server/api/core/bitstreams/7e3a97dd-5ae9-46e3-bab5-fdd644e45bec/content" target="_blank">https://api.repository.cam.ac.uk/server/api/core/bitstreams/7e3a97dd-5ae9-46e3-bab5-fdd644e45bec/content</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Mysterious Voynich manuscript is genuine, scientists find". Archived from the original on 2009-12-07. Retrieved 2009-12-07. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20091207010237/http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1516863.php/Mysterious-Voynich-manuscript-is-genuine-scientists-find" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20091207010237/http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1516863.php/Mysterious-Voynich-manuscript-is-genuine-scientists-find</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Cacciafoco, Francesco Perono (1 September 2021). "The Undeciphered Inscription of the Baptistery of Pisa". Academia.edu. Retrieved 22 February 2024. <a href="https://www.academia.edu/51125775" target="_blank">https://www.academia.edu/51125775</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Ministry of Information and National Guidance, Somalia, The writing of the Somali language: A Great Landmark in Our Revolutionary History, (Ministry of Information and National Guidance: 1974) <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=v-GwAAAAIAAJ" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=v-GwAAAAIAAJ</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Arellano, Carmen. "Un khipu olvidado: el përon mapuche. Notas acerca de su función". Academia.edu. <a href="https://www.academia.edu/11320388" target="_blank">https://www.academia.edu/11320388</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"Unraveling an Ancient Code Written in Strings". Sapiens. 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2024-06-29. <a href="https://www.sapiens.org/language/khipu-andean-writing/" target="_blank">https://www.sapiens.org/language/khipu-andean-writing/</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Uriarte, María Teresa (2018). Olmecas (in Spanish). Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. ISBN 978-88-16-60514-5. <a href="978-88-16-60514-5" target="_blank">978-88-16-60514-5</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Pool, Christopher (2007-02-26). Olmec Archaeology and Early Mesoamerica. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-78312-5. <a href="978-0-521-78312-5" target="_blank">978-0-521-78312-5</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Peregrine, Peter N.; Ember, Melvin (2012-12-06). Encyclopedia of Prehistory: Volume 5: Middle America. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1-4615-0525-9. <a href="978-1-4615-0525-9" target="_blank">978-1-4615-0525-9</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Lacadena 2012 "Orígenes de la escritura en Mesoamérica" <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Clemmensen, Mikkel Bøg; Helmke, Christophe (2023-06-08). Western Mesoamerican Calendars and Writing Systems: Proceedings of the Copenhagen Roundtable. Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-80327-486-7. <a href="978-1-80327-486-7" target="_blank">978-1-80327-486-7</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>