History of writing part 3:

The cylinder seal (also known as “the Tyszkiewicz seal”) created in the 1650-1200 BCE

The cylinder seal was also created by the Egyptians, it is a tool to decorate clay surfaces, for this to work they use to put the clay on a flat surface and roll the cylinder seal on top of it, the seal also represented a particular meaning for example: 

This Is portraying a ritual, with a sacrificial offering. 

Codex:

Codex was used instead of the papyrus because it proved to be more efficient, more durable from tearing, therefore they started to use vellum, which was a very expensive material, however this does not mean papyrus wasn't used, it was less ideal when vellum was created, but papyrus was still used. 

Illuminated manuscripts:

Other than the writing material they provided the Egyptians also created the illustrated manuscripts, in these scripts both words and images are combined in order to communicate information.  They used papyrus paper, and a thick writing material from the skin of an animals (most likely a calf, goat or a sheep) the most high quality parchment was vellum.  

 The north semetic alphabet (early Canaanites, Hebrews and Phoenicians)

North Semitic writing is the historical beginning of the alphabet.

The Hebrew script (this forms the Hebrew Alphabet)

The Phaistos Disc. There are 241 signs on this disc, which includes a man in a headdress, a hatchet, an eagle, a carpenter’s square, an animal skin and a vase.

 The Greek Alphabet

Greece provided a lot for the Westerns: Science, philosophy  and democratic government all the foundation steps were provided from the Greek civilization. 

This is a Greek wheel made out of Bronze dedicated to the mythological creature/god Apollo, there is written letters formed on the surfaces, this was used to worship.

The Latin Alphabet

Roman scholars had studied and captivated Greek literature, studies, religion and altered it to roman society. Roman’s used alphabets from A to R and later formed S,T,V,X. Y and Z was Greek, the Romans added these two letters into their alphabet.

Controlled brush drawing forms on the stone. The precision of the stonemason’s craft create letter-forms of majestic proportion and harmonious form. 

Reference:

Beth Carswell, Illuminated manuscripts, http://www.abebooks.com/books/hours-gold-vellum-decorated-parchment/illuminated-manuscripts.shtml, visited:15/10/2013 BGHater, Mysterious Book: Codex Gigas, 06 July 2009, visited: 15/10/2013

 Philip.B.Meggs, Alston W.Purvis Megg's History of Graphic design 5th Edition,1998, New Jersey.