Maya writing system

Numerous features distinguish the Maya from other cultures of ancient Mesoamerica, but one that has attracted explorers and scholars for centuries is Maya Hieroglyphic Writing. While our alphabet system is based on phonetic signs, in comparison to Maya writing our system seems much simpler. Our words are formed from the combinations of only 26 signs. By contrast, all Maya words are formed by nearly a combination of 800 signs. If you want to know more about the Maya writing system, please click on the following link to get more detailed information.
http://www.ancientscripts.com/maya.html

Impact of the Telegraph

The telegraph is defined as any system that allows the transmission of encoded information by signal across a distance. The earliest forms of telegraphy were probably smoke, fire or drum signals. In the late 18th century, optical telegraphs were invented.
In the United States, the electrical telegraph was developed by Samuel Morse in 1836, an alternative design that was capable of transmitting over long distances using wire.
By 1861, telegraph lines crossed the American continent; by 1866, the transatlantic cable connected America and Europe.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/invention-of-the-telegraph.html

Great Inventions of Ancient China – Printing

Block Printing first appeared in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), it became efficient to print books, however the drawbacks were that all the boards became useless after the printing was done and a single mistake in carving would ruin the whole block. The process of Block Printing was also costly and time-consuming.
In the Song Dynasty, Bisheng invented Movable Type Printing. Each Chinese character was carved onto a small block and after being processed with special procedures, became a piece of movable type. The pieces of movable type could be glued onto a plate and be easily detached from it. They could be assembled to print a page and then broken up and redistributed as needed.
This technology then spread to Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Europe.
http://en.radio86.com/china-past-and-present/history/world-changing-chinese-inventions-printing

Using pigeons to carry messages

Carrier pigeons were used to carry messages in World War I and World War II. Carrier pigeons historically carried messages only one way, to their home. They had to be transported manually back. However with training, pigeons can fly back and forth reliably and also can carry up to 75g on their backs.
Here is a link about a quite famous pigeon, Cher Ami, among the infantrymen it worked for. He was injured in the last week of the war and lost his foot, the message got through to save a large group of surrounded American infantrymen.
http://www.homeofheroes.com/wings/part1/3b_cherami.html

Smoke signal

Using smoke as a signal to conduct a long-distance visual communication was developed by both Native Americans and personnel manning signal towers along China's Great Wall.
By its density, size, shape and color, the smoke signals tend to convey only simple messages, such as, Indians using light and heavy smoke to make a good call - wedding, and the other a bad call - war. Smoke can also be used to obscure enemy communication or to send deceptive signals. And it is still used today in fire and rescue work as well as some military mission.
http://books.google.com/books?id=RBC2nY1rp5MC&pg=PA415&lpg=PA415&dq=smoke+signal+in+war+communication&source=bl&ots=9B8fBXW7S5&sig=3KB3kmbYxX882uXVnvifhvXCF00&hl=en&ei=mgplTcK9Fsys8Abt4Jm3Bg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&sqi=2&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=smoke%20signal%20in%20war%20communication&f=false

The Talking Drum

The talking drum was used originally in Africa for communications between villages. I have inserted an article and a video link which I think everyone will find interesting. As you read the folowing history of the talking drum you will discover that the drum served another purpose other than entertainment.

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTI2NjMyNDc2.html

http://www.articlesbase.com/music-articles/the-talking-drums-of-west-africa-557606.html

Papyrus Communication

Papyrus was invented in Egypt as a writing instruments in their quest to find out efficient and easy means of communications. This plant was used also used for fuel, food, medicine clothing and rope manufacture. It was made from the outer layer from the stem and the inner layer of the plant was sliced into long strips placed side by side with the second layer on top at a right angle. The whole thing is soaked in water and pressed under a heavy rock for 21days. The juice of the plant acted as glue and bonded the strips together. The outcome was a sheet which was hammered and dried in the sun.


http://www.ancientegyptianfacts.com/ancient-egyptian-papyrus.html

First typewriter released in 1874.

The first typewriters enabling operators to write faster than people could was the Sholes & Gidden typewriter. This typewriter was introduced in 1874 by E. Remington and Sons and sold for $125.00. Some of the machines had carriages on them returned by means of a foot threadle. Follow the link below to see pictures of the earliest typewriters and read some interesting information about them. Hope you enjoy this. Mary Ann Reday,


www.officemuseum.com/typewriters.htm

Petroglyphs- Rock Art

Mary Ann has touched on this ancient communication way, but I found this website that shows a lot of things, one of them being petroglyphs. The site also gives the whole alphabet in different languages that used petroglyphs. The signs are mostly animals and humans, which people would be familiar with.

http://www.crystalinks.com/petroglyphs.html

"Bo"

One of the oldest dialects has become extinct after its oldest member passes. The Great Andamanese tribe was hit by a tsunami in 2004 in India leaving its oldest member, and 85 year old to be the last one knowing the dialect. It's been around for tens of thousands of years, being one the of the first.
I thought this was interesting because some people only the "normal" languages are around, not knowing that there are tribes and remote places who have their own language that originated long ago.
Here's the link where I found this information:
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/02/05/ancient-dialect-extinct-speaker-takes-language-grave/

Messages in Bottles

Recently, some one in Alaska found a message in a bottle sent in 1986. It took over 20 years to be found!
It is believed the first person to use this method was a Greek philosopher Theophrastus around 310 B.C. Christopher Columbus also used this method while caught in a severe storm at sea. Although this method isn't the most reliable, it was used. It was never certain who or when people would get it, but it was still a method of communication in the past centuries.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/675381/the_history_of_messages_in_bottles_pg3.html?cat=37

Haitians learn to communicate

This post is dedicated to Black History Month.

During the European slave trade, slaves were brought from more than a hundred different ethnic groups from West Africa to Haiti speaking different languages. The Haitians developed and practiced the religion Vodou inorder to unite, communicate, and preserve their culture. The Haitians religion was expressed through arts, music and dance.

The Telegraphphony

This post is dedicated to Black History Month

Granville T Woods (1856-1910) African-American Inventor

He invented the telegraphony that enabled the train operators to send and receive messages more quickly than before. The Bell Company purchased his invention qualifying him to become a full-time inventor. He also invented the multiplex telegraph that helped dispatchers locate trains, and moving trains to communicate by telegraph.

I find it intriguing that this African-American man at the age of 10 left school to support his family. Yet he continued to educate himself by working in railroad machine shops and steel mills, and by reading about electricity. As an African-American he was not allowed in the library, so his friends will check out library books for him.

Smoke signals used by Indians and Chinese for communication

Native Americans used smoke signals to communicate. They were simple messaging systems used to send basic transmissions over long distances. The only disadvantage was that the enemy could also see them. Smoke signals were also used by Chinese soldiers to convey messages and are still used by boy scouts today. Some common signals used by the Apache Indians included: One puff-something unusual going on, but NO danger; Two puffs-all was well and camp was established; and Three puffs-showed an alarm signal. The attached link includes an article about smoke signals and how to make them. Hope you enjoy it. Mary Ann Reday.

http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/how-to-send-smoke-signal.htm

Semaphore Flags

I found this a very interesting way of communication and I never knew how old it was. This technique started in the late 1600s with the military but it is now used at the beach! Life guards use semaphore flags to communicate with each other in an emergency or just to talk. Here are the links I found that are helpful.

http://www.anbg.gov.au/flags/semaphore.html

http://flagexpressions.wordpress.com/2010/03/23/history-behind-semaphore-flags/

Cave Paintings

Cave paintings are paintings on cave walls and ceilings. The most common themes in cave paintings are large wild animals, and abstract patterns called finger flutings. Evidence suggest that these paintings were not just decorations, but were used for communicating with others. This is an example how art plays a very important role in communication.