The Origins of Reading and Writing in Ancient Civilizations: An Exploratory Intervention in the Anthropology of Knowledge and Reading

Abstract

The study examines the origins of reading since prehistoric times and seeks to uncover the rituals and forms of reading in ancient civilizations. It also aims to understand reading as an oral ritual in contrast to writing as a recording and documenting ritual. Consequently, it answers a fundamental question: Is reading an heir to orality, or is it an entirely new phenomenon in human history? What are the main scholarly perspectives on this issue? The study further examines the term "reading" in both Arabic and English, exploring differences in meaning and their impact on the relationship between orality and reading. Furthermore, the study investigates the anthropological perspective on reading and the forms of social advancement associated with readers in ancient and Islamic civilizations. The study employed descriptive and historical methods, engaging in extensive discussions about the concept of reading within human communities and its relationship with orality and writing. It can be argued that definitive results regarding the exact relationship between reading and writing and their emergence in ancient societies remain elusive. The topic requires significant further interdisciplinary academic studies. For instance, Saudi and Arab universities have departments of anthropology alongside departments of library science and colleges of education; however, collaboration among them on such issues remains greatly needed. In general, the study suggests a relationship between reading and writing on one side and orality on the other. While orality is linked to the emergence of language, reading and writing can be considered, in one way or another, the heirs of orality. However, orality preceded reading by hundreds of thousands of years in human history. The findings also indicate that Islamic civilization transformed reading and writing from elite exclusivity to societal commonality across Islamic society. Moreover, reading and writing contributed significantly to the intellectual development of many ancient civilizations, where the readers attained a high social status. This issue also requires further academic research, as suggested by the results of this exploratory study.