CHAPTER Ⅰ．WRITING AS A SYSTEM OF SIGNS

Ways of Communicating Ideas

Definition of Writing

Sources of Information

Study of Writing

CHAPTER Ⅱ．FORERUNNERS OF WRITING

Primitive Drawings

Descriptive-Representational Device

Identifying-Mnemonic Device

Limited Systems

CHAPTER Ⅲ．WORD-SYLLABIC SYSTEMS

Sumerian System

Egyptian System

Hittite System

Chinese System

Proto-Elamite，Proto-Indic，and Cretan Systems

Signs in General

Word Signs

Svllabic Signs

Auxiliary Marks

Word-Svllabic Writing

CHAPTER Ⅳ．SYLLABIC WRITINGS

Cuneiform Syllabaries

West Semitic Syllabaries

Aegean Syllabaries

Japanese Syllabary

Observations

CHAPTER Ⅴ．THE ALPHABET

Oriental Forerunners

Greek Alphabet

Alphabet＇s Conquest of the World

CHAPTER Ⅵ．EVOLUTION OF WRITING

Stages of Development

Pictures

Forerunners of Writing

Word-Svllabic Systems

Svllabic Systems

Alphabetic Systems

Observations

CHAPTER Ⅶ．MODERN WRITINGS AMONG PRIMITIVES

Descriptive Presentation

Observations

CHAPTER Ⅷ．MONOGENESIS OR POLYGENESIS OF WRITING

Cultural Background of the Seven Oriental Systems

Possible Arguments in Favour of Monogenesis

CHAPTER Ⅸ．WRITING AND CIVILIZATION

Importance of Writing

Writing and Speech

Writing and Art

Writing and Religion

CHAPTER Ⅹ．FUTURE OF WRITING

CHAPTER Ⅺ．TERMINOLOGY OF WRITING

CHAPTER Ⅻ．BIBLIOGRAPHY

NOTES

INDEX