March/April 2024 Challenge: Dawn of Men 𒀭𒌓 𒄑𒂵 𒇽𒄿

[Naima]

I've had this idea in mind for some time but haven't started yet because I couldn't decide whether to use a pictogram on rock or on pelt. I want to use realistic Lascaux-style pictographs and also implement the first writing system. I did research on several ancient languages to translate the phrase "Dawn of Men."


Sumerian
Translation: UTU sig-ga lu2-ak
Literal Meaning: "Sunrise of the people"
Representation: ���� ���� ����
Pronunciation: (Utu sig-ga lu-ak)
Akkadian
Translation: šēru(m) ša awīlūtu
Literal Meaning: "Dawn of mankind"
Representation: ���� ����������
Pronunciation: (shērum sha awilūtu)
Ancient Hebrew
Translation: שחר האדם
Literal Meaning: "Dawn of man"
Representation: Same as translation
Pronunciation: (Shachar ha'adam)
Aramaic
Translation: ܫܦܪܐ ܕܒܢܝ ܐܢܫܐ
Literal Meaning: "Dawn of humans"
Representation: Same as translation
Pronunciation: (shapra d'bney nasha)
Proto-Italic
Translation: Aurora hominum (conceptual)
Literal Meaning: "Dawn of men"
Representation: Using Classical Latin approximation
Pronunciation: (Aurora hominum)
Proto-Greek
Translation: Ēṓs anthrṓpōn (conceptual)
Literal Meaning: "Dawn of mankind"
Representation: Ἠώς ἀνθρώπων
Pronunciation: (Eos anthropon)
Nahuatl (Aztec)
Translation: Ilhuicatl tlahuizcalpan tlacatiliztli
Literal Meaning: "Sky of dawn of humanity"
Representation: Using Latin alphabet for Nahuatl; ancient representations would be pictographic.
Pronunciation: (Il-wi-katl tla-wiz-kal-pan tla-kat-il-is-tli)
Quechua (Incaic)
Translation: Inti paqarina runakuna
Literal Meaning: "Sunrise of the people"
Representation: Quechua did not have a writing system but used quipus for record-keeping, which can't accurately convey specific phrases.
Pronunciation: (In-ti pa-ka-ri-na ru-na-ku-na)
Classical Mayan
Translation: Conceptual; a direct translation into Mayan glyphs for "Dawn of Mankind" isn't straightforward due to the complexity of the language and its script.
Literal Meaning: Conceptual interpretation
Representation: Mayan glyphs would include symbols for "beginning" or "dawn" and "people" or "mankind," but a specific glyphic sequence is speculative.
Pronunciation: Conceptual
Māori (Polynesian)
Translation: Te ata tuatahi o te tangata
Literal Meaning: "The first morning of mankind"
Representation: Written in the Latin alphabet, as Māori was traditionally an oral language.
Pronunciation: (Te ah-tah too-ah-tahi o te tangata)
(Lakota)
Translation: Wíyakte kiŋ lé Čhaŋtéwašte
Literal Meaning: "Dawn of the heart of all people"
Representation: Lakota uses the Latin alphabet for writing.
Pronunciation: (Wee-yahk-teh king lay Chan-te-wash-teh)
Proto-Indo-European
Translation: h₂éwsōs h₂mḗn-es
Literal Meaning: "Dawn of mankind"
Representation: Proto-Indo-European is a reconstructed language with no writing system.
Pronunciation: (Hewsos hmen-es)
Ancient Egyptian
Translation: ỉwnw n rmt (conceptual)
Literal Meaning: "Pillar of mankind"
Hieroglyph Representation: ����������
Pronunciation: (iwnw n rmt)

And now my very beautifull Phone scheme haha...

sorry this will be changed later and so I won't even classify as a wip , but Its just my early brainstorming.



I have not yet decided whether to implement the writing system or not, and whether to include other languages or choose just one. I was leaning towards either Proto-Indo-European, as it's closer to a possible prehistoric language, but then it would lack a graphic representation. On the other hand, Sumerian, being the first known written language, might appear less "prehistoric" if I were to just stick with pictograms. Regardless, researching several ancient languages to see how they would translate "Dawn of Men" has been enjoyable. Another aspect I tried to research is the proto-language, presumed to be the mother language of humans. Although it is a subject of serious study and hypothesis, it remains mere speculation.
So I will probably stick to pictograms for representation .

The two above ugly images are my quick speculative sketches of a possible layout, either a primitive man painting a map in a deep cave illuminated by a fireplace or a pelt placed and linked to two tusks with a fireplace behind illumnating the scene, not sure yet if that would work well and if to go with a realism style or not , yet not decided if use 3d or 2d techniques or a ix of both so as you can see I decided nothing yet lol.
Sugestions are welcome for wich version to pick.

[Levtrona]

this sounds great. I love alphabets an writing systems.