Primitive communication
systems
Ever since the beginning of
time as we know it, our civilization has developed and relied on
various forms of communication in order to confer amongst those of
his own species. Whether it be to convey messages of friendship,
anger, sadness or even war, primitive man was able to establish the
basis of what has lead to the numerously diverse languages that we
use all over the world today. Many of these primitive communication
systems were relatively simple in nature, especially when compared
to the advancements made since then that are being used in human
communication today. The first recorded from of communication is
documented by the Phoenicians, who concocted a written alphabet,
while some of the earliest forms of communication involved the use
of heliographs and written text on tablets of clay stone.
At around 2900 B.C., the ancient Sumerians invented a form of
communication known as Cuneiform writing, which was written on
tablets of clay. These tablets documented the lives of various
rulers and significant events to their culture over time. The
history of the heliograph can be traced back to Ancient Greece.
Greek soldiers would use the light reflected from their shields to
convey their positions during, or prior to, battle. The heliograph
later became an actual military apparatus in Europe, a tripod
weighing a mere seven pounds that was used in the same fashion the
Greek soldiers had emulated. Patented in 1810, It was considered a
revolutionary machine for its time.
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Other primitive communication systems included the use of smoke
signals, dogs and carrier pigeons. Smoke signalling is another form
of visual communication for sending messages over great distances.
The first people to use this method were the Chinese, whose soldiers
along the Great Wall would forewarn each other of enemy danger by
lighting pyres of fire. Smoke signalling has since been used and
modified by other cultures for their own purposes, including the
Native Americans. Carrier pigeons were trained to carry scroll
parchments to their homes so that crucial messages could be
delivered. Dogs were trained by early man to alert him of any
impending dangers (such as wolves or big cats) by growling and
barking. As you can tell, mankind has used many different forms of
communication throughout history. No matter how primitive they may
seem by today's standards, each communication form has lead to the
diverse cultural values in language we have today.
Copyright Bryan Carter 2008 |