Expert: Irulan Serena - 4/24/2006

Question
I'm trying to find out what is the oldest written question? My company is giving a presentation about the value of inquiry, and we'd like to quote the oldest known question. Are the ancient sea scrolls the oldest known text, and did they contain any questions? And if so, what? We're looking for something pre-dating the new testament. Many thanks for any help you can offer! Carin Walsh

Answer
Hello Carin,

The first known examples of writing was unearthed at an archaeological dig in Pakistan in 1999 by Dr Richard Meadow of Harvard University, the director of the Harappa Archaeological Research Project, They were found at a site called Harappa in the region where the great Harappan or Indus civilization flourished four and a half thousand years ago. Harappa was originally a small settlement in 3500 BC but by 2600 BC it had developed into a major urban centre. They were carbon-dated to 3300-3200 BC. This is about the same time, or slightly earlier, to the primitive writing developed by the Sumerians of the Mesopotamian civilization around 3100 BC.
According to Dr Richard these primitive inscriptions found on pottery may pre-date all other known writing. On fragments of pottery dating back 5500 years 'plant-like' and 'trident-shaped' markings have been found. Probably it is the earliest example of ideographs.  What the ideographs mean is yet not known, so whether it was a question or not there is no information.
I have researched multiple sources but have not found the first question ever asked.

Sorry I have not been able to help.

Irulan