As one of the greatest world cultures and heritages, Africa belongs to those civilizations that have influenced education in a truly important way. Still, before we proceed with the study of ancient African writings and styles, it’s necessary to focus on the beauty of African philosophy and way of thinking. While it may not be possible to cover it all, it has helped to shape the world’s education by exploring the necessity of reasoning and the willingness to hear others while knowing how to come up with arguments that can be justified. Considering that writing in the form of hieroglyphs emerged during the 4th century BCE, there is a long way to explore where the focus must be on Ethiopic and Meroitic scripts.
How Did the Writing of Ancient African Civilizations Influence Education?
– Ge’ez script of Ethiopia.
As the most ancient African script that is still being used, it has helped scientists all over the world to identify and preserve the culture of writing. You will see it in Amharic, Tigre, or Tigrinya languages that are spoken in Ethiopia and Eritrea. In addition to increased literacy, this ancient writing has helped to deliver cultural points and develop the South Semitic language group.
– Nsibidi of Nigeria.
It’s the system of symbols that is also known as proto-writing. It’s quite mystical as it relates to Ekpe, where the cultural heritage has been preserved. We can spot it in metals, swords, wall designs, and even educational lessons for autistic children, as it has a strong visual impact. If you would like to explore it in greater depth, you may approach TopEssayWriting as one of the great ways to receive immediate assistance related to your education. Even if English is not your first language, asking for help will always work for you, as dealing with a trained expert can show you the best solutions.
– Demotic script.
While demotic speech is an expression that is used for cryptic language, it was this script used by Egyptian pharaohs that made a significant impact on global education. Demotic represents a cursive simplification of hieroglyphics, which is why it has made it easier to decrypt various cultural and poetic writings. The use of unilateral or alphabetic signs has also paved the way for the culture of phonemes. Taking its origins in the middle of the seventh century BC, it is precisely what has been used in most papyrus heritage. What makes Demotic heritage special is that we are dealing with a mostly consonantal script. It has helped to identify numerous ancient languages and find similarities as certain schools have been formed in various parts of Africa. The most important is that scientists worldwide have learned to identify various linguistic and cultural sub-groups as they studied the African continent.
– Ancient Coptic Literature.
As you may remember from school, this type of writing was composed by indigenous Egyptians approximately during the first Millenium CE. Regardless if it has been mostly African rock art without letters per se, it’s still possible to learn a lot or compose an excellent history essay that will stand out. Ancient African civilizations have always been focused on symbolism, where one can trace the set of events and even identify the narrative tone. If one can spot metaphors and allegories, this type of writing can help to connect the ancient with the later Greek and Arabic writings.
The Importance of Oral Transmission
Although we can take a look at the Tifinagh script, which is mostly related to Western Africa, the writing of the ancient African civilizations would not have advanced without the necessity of oral transmission and performances that took place. It helped to establish an emotional bond between generations. The majority of African civilizations used writing only for the purposes of clan history or details related to royal lineage and significant events, thus having very little impact on education. The oral transmission has also been preserved via dancing and active performances, where verbal artistry helped to keep the stories alive. The language aspect often involved only formal structures, which could not be decrypted without specialists, which is why the visual elements have played a far greater role in terms of teaching and learning!
BIO
Olivia Evans has always been passionate about Africa and the timeless heritage it offers. As an educator and an avid explorer, she loves to travel and write. Follow Olivia to learn more about Mother Africa and expand your world and skills.
