1. Egyptian Hieroglyphs:
* Age: Estimated to have emerged around 3200 BCE.
* Status: While not actively used for everyday communication, it is still studied and understood, and some individuals are fluent. It is used in religious contexts and archaeological research.
2. Sumerian Cuneiform:
* Age: Emerged around 3200 BCE.
* Status: Not actively used, but deciphered and understood by scholars. It is a significant part of studying ancient Mesopotamian history and literature.
3. Chinese Characters:
* Age: First recorded use around 1200 BCE.
* Status: Still actively used in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, albeit with slight regional variations.
4. Hebrew:
* Age: First attested in the 10th century BCE.
* Status: Actively used by millions of speakers worldwide, primarily in Israel.
5. Sanskrit:
* Age: Oldest known inscription from the 4th century BCE.
* Status: Still used in religious contexts, particularly Hinduism. It is also a liturgical language for Buddhism.
6. Greek:
* Age: The earliest known inscriptions date back to the 8th century BCE.
* Status: Actively used in Greece and Cyprus, and is also studied extensively in academia.
7. Tamil:
* Age: Oldest known inscriptions from the 3rd century BCE.
* Status: Actively used in India and Sri Lanka by millions of speakers.
It's important to remember that these are just a few examples, and the definition of "oldest" can be subjective. The development of writing systems is a complex process, and some languages may have had earlier, less-developed forms of writing that did not survive or are not yet fully understood.