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Cave paintings and petroglyphs are among the earliest forms of visual communication, dating back to around 30,000 BCE.
Early humans use gestures, grunts, and facial expressions for basic communication. -
Sumerians in Mesopotamia develop the first known form of writing, cuneiform, using wedge-shaped symbols on clay tablets. -
Ancient Egyptians develop hieroglyphics, a complex system of pictorial writing on papyrus scrolls and temple walls. -
Phoenicians develop the first alphabet, consisting of 22 consonantal letters, which later evolves into the Greek and Latin alphabets. -
The ancient Olympic Games in Greece become a major gathering for communication and exchange of ideas among Greek city-states. -
Athenian democracy emerges, fostering public speaking and debate in the Agora, marketplace, and political assemblies. -
Johannes Gutenberg invents the printing press in Europe, revolutionizing the mass production of books and spreading literacy. -
Claude Chappe develops the first practical optical telegraph system in France, using a series of semaphore towers to relay messages over long distances. -
Samuel Morse invents the electric telegraph, enabling rapid long-distance communication through Morse code.