Confucius said, "If you want to divine the future, study the past." The past shows us where we come from and how we got to where we are today. In typography, many modern-day designs show influences from the past. To fully understand the potential of typography, we must look at the original forms of letters, how they were created, and how they were used. This understanding will help us make the best typographic choices for the future. 

So, let's take a brief look at the history of letter forms.


Cave paintings are recognized as the first form of human communication. Symbols painted on walls and carved in stone represent primitive methods of recording information.

The Origins of Typography

  • Cave Paintings: Cave paintings are recognized as the first form of human communication. Symbols painted on walls and carved in stone represent primitive methods of recording information.

  • Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics: Ancient Egyptians used pictographs in their hieroglyphics, and they also included phonograms—pictures representing sounds—in their writing (see image). This dual approach made their language difficult to understand until 1799 when French captain Pierre-François-Xavier Bouchard discovered the Rosetta Stone (see image). The Rosetta Stone had the same text carved in hieroglyphics, Demotic, and Greek alphabets. This allowed scholars familiar with the Greek alphabet to decipher Egypt’s past.

Evolution of AlphabetsAncient Egyptians used pictographs in their hieroglyphics, and they also included phonograms—pictures representing sounds—in their writing. This dual approach made their language difficult to understand until 1799 when French captain Pierre-François-Xavier Bouchard discovered the Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone had the same text carved in hieroglyphics, Demotic, and Greek alphabets. This allowed scholars familiar with the Greek alphabet to decipher Egypt’s past. The Phoenicians created an alphabet with 22 consonants in the fifteenth century BCE, which spread through the Mediterranean region via trade. This alphabet was the precursor to the Greek, Latin, Arabic, and Hebrew alphabets. Around the eighth century B.C.E., the Greeks incorporated the Phoenician alphabet into their own language by adding vowels, dropping a few consonants, and adding others. The Roman alphabet evolved from the Greek alphabet. It is also called Latin, which is recognized as the modern Western written language today.

  • Phoenician Alphabet: The Phoenicians created an alphabet with 22 consonants in the fifteenth century BCE, which spread through the Mediterranean region via trade. This alphabet was the precursor to the Greek, Latin, Arabic, and Hebrew alphabets. 

  • Greek and Roman Alphabets: Around the eighth century B.C.E., the Greeks incorporated the Phoenician alphabet into their own language by adding vowels, dropping a few consonants, and adding others. The Roman alphabet evolved from the Greek alphabet. It is also called Latin, which is recognized as the modern Western written language today (see image).

Manuscripts and Printing Technology

  • Illuminated Manuscripts: A notable use of the Roman alphabet was in illuminated manuscripts. These were texts created as early as 600 C.E., decorated or illustrated with gold and silver leaf (see image). Handmade and incredibly laborious to produce, these books were mainly owned by religious entities and the very wealthy. Until the 1400s, manuscripts and documents in the Western world were written by hand.

The invention of papyrus and parchment accelerated the spread of modern alphabets, as they were more portable than clay or stone. In 1452, Johannes Gutenberg revolutionized the printing process with the invention of the letterpress printing method using movable metal type. In 1889, Ottmar Mergenthaler invented the linotype machine, which made the printing process much faster.

  • Printing Revolution: The invention of papyrus and parchment accelerated the spread of modern alphabets, as they were more portable than clay or stone. In 1452, Johannes Gutenberg revolutionized the printing process with the invention of the letterpress printing method using movable metal type (see image). In 1889, Ottmar Mergenthaler invented the linotype machine, which made the printing process much faster (see image).


Artistic and Technological Influences on Typography

  • Artistic Movements: Typography was influenced by several artistic movements, including the Arts and Crafts movement, Art Nouveau, Dada, and Constructivism. The Art Deco movement in France during the 1920s and 1930s also had a significant impact on typography.

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  • Modern Innovations: Modern methods such as phototypesetting and offset lithography changed the printing industry (see image). The use of computer typesetting machines in the 1980s brought a new revolution in typography (see image). Designers now had complete control over the design, allowing them to create typefaces for all kinds of uses. This resulted in an explosion of various new fonts in the world of typography.

  • Emigre Magazine: Published from 1984 to 2005, Emigre magazine had a significant impact on the world of typography (see image). Even today, Emigre is considered one of the most progressive endeavors.


From cave paintings to computer typesetting, the journey of typography reflects the evolution of human communication and creativity. Each historical advance, from ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics to Gutenberg's revolutionary printing press (see image), paved the way for today's diverse and dynamic typographic landscape. As designers, understanding these historical roots enables us to innovate while respecting tradition.