Learning Objectives
Knowledge of the current and established state of research on the development and use of the Danube script.

Concept
The insights from comparative script research allow for the identification of character groupings on artifacts from the period between approximately 5300 and 3200 BC from sites in the Danube region as writing. This archaic writing system was referred to as an ancient European script towards the end of the 20th century. In recent years, the term Danube script has gained acceptance among experts actively involved in the research.

This introductory work on the topic of script and civilization research provides a comprehensive overview of the existing findings: regarding the emergence of the character repertoire and its compositional characteristics, the analysis of individual characters and their grouping in inscriptions, the typology of text types and the social context of character usage, the accumulation of information about inscribed objects in databases, the significance of the Danube script in conjunction with other systems of visual communication in Danube civilization (notation of numerical concepts, inventory of cultural symbols on clay stamps, ownership marks, and potter's marks), and the challenges of decipherment methods.

For further engagement with the Danube script, the bibliography offers numerous and valuable references.