Writing implements

Pencils:

Pencils used to be made out of lead which is a highly toxic subject and can cause major health problems. Now a days pencils are made out of graphite.


Graphite is a metomorphic rock. Metamorphic rocks are ones which have been metamorphosed (changed). They are originally igneous or sedimentary rocks but due to the application of high levels of heat and pressure, they changed. The high heat was from contact with magma and the pressure usually in the formation of fold mountains.


I found this link which goes into a lot of detail about how pencils are made.


http://www.wisegeek.com/how-are-pencils-made.htm




Paper:

Paper is made from trees (as if you didn't know...) Trees are sent to a paper mill where they are ground up with water and chemicals which forms a liquid. This liquid is fed through a series of machines which flatten the mixture and keep it flat whilst it dries into paper.

The Origins of Writing

How did writing start? The first form of writing was called cuneiform and is thought by archaeologists to be used as a way to keep track of supplies in the community It is possible that it dated as far back to 8000 BC.

In the Fertile Crescent land of Sumer, small clay triangles, spheres, cones, and other tokens were molded to represent sheep, measures of grain, jars of oil, and other goods.

Around the same time as Cuneiform the ancient Egyptians began to use a similar writing system called hieroglyphics. Their pictures and symbols represented ideas and words. Egyptians also wrote on clay tablets or carved hieroglyphics on the stone walls of monuments and tombs. They also painted them on a paperlike material called papayrus. This was made from river grasses.

The first real alphabeat was founded in 1000BC by the greeks. The word alphabeat is derived from the first two letters (alpha + beta).

This quickly developed into the Etruscan alphabeat which dates back to around 600 BC.

The latin alphabeat soon followed, which has devolped into the alphabeat we use today however a few variations have been added. 

I found this pretty interesting link which visually shows the development of writing and alphabeats to what it is today today.

http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~rfradkin/latin.html

Introduction

Hi my name is Kate and welcome to my first ever blog! I decided to write this blog on the geography behind writing, the origin, how writing impliments are made, how writing has and continues to develop... You get the point. I hope post once a week. Wish me luck!