Anatolian Hieroglyphs (Luwian Hieroglyphs, Hittite Hieroglyphs)

The Anatolian hieroglyphs are an indigenous script of Anatolia, known in the Bronze Age. It was used in the ancient Hittite and Luwian civilizations of Anatolia and is the oldest known indigenous script of Anatolia. It is also one of the earliest writing systems in the world. The first known inscriptions in the script date back to the 16th century BCE, though it is likely that the script was in use earlier. The script was used for a variety of purposes, including monumental inscriptions, royal seals, and personal names. The hieroglyphs were generally inscribed on stone or metal, though some were also painted on pottery or other objects. The script was written in a variety of directions, including left to right, right to left, and even boustrophedon. The hieroglyphs were used until the 8th century CE, when they began to be replaced by the Phoenician alphabet. However, the script continued to be used in a few isolated areas until the 13th century CE. Today, the script is of interest to scholars for its potential to shed light on the cultures of ancient Anatolia. In particular, the script has been used to help decipher the Hittite language, which was used in the Bronze Age. The script consists of a variety of signs, including pictograms, ideograms, and logograms. The signs are generally read from left to right, though some signs can be read in other directions. The Anatolian hieroglyphs are thought to have been derived from an earlier script known as cuneiform. However, the precise relationship between the two scripts is still not fully understood. The script has been deciphered to a certain extent, but much of the meaning of the hieroglyphs remains a mystery. Scholars are still working to understand the script and unlock its secrets.