Write On!
YAC Attack 135! Making Roman Ink
Today we write on computers, and send our words around the world at the touch of a button. Words help us to record and store information, and to share ideas.
- But how did writing begin?
- How has writing changed?
Writing began around 6,000 years ago and used pictures to represent objects. These pictures signs are called pictograms. Two of the earliest types of writing – cuneiform and hieroglyphs – used pictograms.
Here you can find out how writing began and how it has changed over the years. Learn about 6,000 year old pictograms and read about how the Roman alphabet developed.
ACTIVITY: Do you want to try and write like a Roman?
Follow the simple instructions below to make some genuine Roman ink. Warning! This can be quite a messy activity, so wear old clothes and make sure that you work somewhere that can be cleaned easily. We made our Roman ink on the draining board of a sink which was easy to wash.
Bona fortuna – that’s ‘good luck’ in the Romans’ language, Latin. Just download the file from the link below.
