Petzinger believes, using symbols to communicate “represent a fundamental shift in our ancestor’s mental skills”, to abstract symbols like we mostly see and use today.
Symbol makes it easy for fixing and transmitting knowledge through space and time. We start with drawings and symbols on the cave wall, then we end up using pictures and symbols on our phones and computer to communicate universally. 40,000 years ago early humans developed consistent systems of signs across and between others.
Some Egyptian hieroglyphics can be read as a logograph. (A logograph could be a symbol or a sign that is used to represent words or phrases. ) I can see some similarities of symbols from the sun ☀️and cloud ☁️ icon in the Weather app within Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. The difference is obvious: the icon in the app only delivers ideas and indicates the object, whereas Egyptian hieroglyphics can also work as a consonant. Besides its meaning, it also represents sounds.
I also noticed we tend to use mixed ways to express an idea or word for clarity. For example, combine icon and symbol to new meanings to two existing, not related ideas. The arrow pointing down, a symbol of the sun, and a line at the bottom of the sun for the horizon together illustrate the meaning SUNSET. The act of combining symbols/icons works like how Mayan pictographs combine logographs with syllables to help people with pronunciation and understanding of a word.
Seeing ancient and present icons’ similarities in their roots and principles is inspiring. There’s still a lot to be discovered in the hidden ancient history, and wisdom from ancestors to be learned.
