От буквы и слога к иероглифу.

This book - about the theory and history of writing. The origin of the earliest - non-alphabetic - writing systems in the Middle East (such as cuneiform and Egyptian hieroglyphics) now looks differently in the light of new discoveries. More recently, it turned out, for example, that nearly ten thousand years ago to count cattle or measures of grain, making small sculptural figures: balls, cones, pyramids. If you are sending a messenger own figures put in envelopes and an envelope - in order to avoid fraud - ottiskivali same geometric images. Because of impressions on clay figurines there cuneiform. This process went millennium. An ancient Asia Minor many features coincides not only with the same type of letter to the east (China), but also with the peculiarities of the Maya hieroglyphs. Explains any similarities distant from each other distribution systems from one central location? The future will tell. Later writing system - Alphabetical - developing within the hieroglyphic, in fact, it differs from it. Differences between alphabetic and non-alphabetic writing systems devoted a large part of the book. The history of writing - a question for the author's very personal. Therefore, the discovery and deciphering of individual languages (Minor and Central Asia) are described in the background of his own scientific career. A huge role in the development of this interesting area is given many outstanding Russian scientists the past two centuries. In the epilogue different writing systems correlated with the work of certain areas of the brain according to modern neuropsychology. The book includes the task of deciphering - occupation, which can not fail to captivate anyone. After decoding - a real detective. It lies at the basis of the study of writing systems. In general, the book immerses the reader in a huge reservoir of cultural history