On the first day of class for history of graphic design, I learned about the beginnings of visual communication. Different forms of communication were developed. I know that in prehistoric times, people didn’t know how to write. So without any use of writing, they needed a form of communication, which were symbols.

In early ancient times, Egyptians developed their own writing in 3100 BC. This started during the Bronze Age which was a important part in history for the Egyptians. Tools were made from bronze. With these tools, they were able to use them as weapons and explore new areas of land. They created their own form of writing with these tools. Hieroglyphics were sacred carvings that were done by the Egyptians. They were able to keep track of their day to day plans, ideas and names. This was their way of communication. Most of these Hieroglyphics were pictographs. Pictographs were images that symbolized something. Sometimes pictographs would be altered by having different meanings. For example, the image of an eye can mean a persons eye, but it can also mean vision.

The Narmer Palette, during the Egyptian times, was used as a way of mixing eye paint. It was a cosmetic palette where they could apply paint on the palette which was made of stone. The palette had a front and back. On the front, Narmer was a king that unified upper and lower Egypt. On the back of it contains writing, where it means Narmers name in their own language. Its believed that his name was “catfish” since it suggests that a picture, which is a catfish, is right above his name.

In Mesopotamia, their style of writing developed as cuneiform. Cuneiform was their writing style which included wedged shapes. They used a tool called a stylus and carved in clay tablets with it. They used these tablets to write their ideas, laws, names and history. Once they carved their writing into the clay tablets, they would dry out in the sun. Their society relied on scribes which were people who took down information of their history. It would take years for some to people to master the skill. Scribes were important so they could keep all of the information written down. They needed their day to day plans written down so they wouldn’t forget it.

Communication in the early ancient times were made from man made materials. Hieroglyphics and pictographs were a part of communication within early civilizations. These were the early forms of communication. It was essential for keeping track of records. In our modern world, we use symbols to convey certain messages. We use verbal and visual communication. Forms of communication is and has always been an important part of our society.