Writing: Theory and History of the Technology of Civilization traces the origins of writing tied to speech from ancient Sumer through the Greek alphabet and beyond. Examines the earliest evidence for writing in Mesopotamia in the fourth millennium BC, the origins of purely phonographic systems, and the mystery of alphabetic writingIncludes discussions of Ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Mayan writingShows how the structures of writing served and do serve social needs and in turn create patterns of social behaviorClarifies the argument with many illustrations.