Topic Research: Divine origins of writing

I want to do a project on the beginning of writing, and the mythical origins surrounding its development in multiple cultures. There are four primary gods (Enki, Odin, Itzamna, Thoth) I've looked at, each of whom gifted a written language to their respective civilizations. Each of the dates shown below indicates the earliest true writing documented from each of these systems (as opposed to just pictograms), and the range of dates and geography would allow for ample contrast in each story. This would allow for some crossover if I decide to use the unified god idea (different eras, different faces), and I'd still get a chance to check out Yggdrasil and the Norse cosmology.

All of these figures share a few aspects besides writing, most notably magic and wisdom, and weirdly enough Itzamna and Enki are both associated with semen (although I don't know if that'll make the final project). I'm not sure if I want to include Thoth yet or not, but I feel like he deserves a chance. I didn't delve much into it, but I haven't ruled out Asian language development yet even though it's not included here.

So, the three (or four) stories could each tell how the respective god of each culture gave the art of written language to their people. I haven't decided on the frame of reference for the project yet, but here's a few ideas:


The earth is actually an alien science project, being examined for plagiarism before the final submission
The literary purist - one man's quest for the original source
First person deity responsible for each origin point (many-faced god)



Sumeria
Enki - Cuneiform
~3100 BC

Limestone Kish tablet from Sumer with pictographic writing; may be the earliest known writing, 3500 BC. Ashmolean Museum. Wikimedia Commons

The legend surrounding Enki's gifts of "me" to the Sumerians is seriously fun in and of itself, and could make for a storybook all on its own. Focusing on the creation of writing, supposedly by Enmerkar in his dispute with the Lord of Aratta would allow for a tie-in with the Tower of Babel story too, which would be nice.

Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta



Egypt
Thoth - Hieroglyphs
~2700 BC

Seal impression of Seth-Peribsen (Second Dynasty, c. 28th century BC). Wikimedia Commons

Thoth and Enki have a lot of differences, which would make for good material if they're presented as separate entities.

Mesoamerica

Itzamna / god D  - Maya Script

~300 BC

Dresden Codex, pages 10 and 11. Wikimedia Commons

The gift of writing is credited to Itzamna (suspected to be synonymous with god D), reputedly the first priest and one of the gods of medicine. Writing was not for everyone; only nobility and priests were taught how to read and write, which is a big difference from the Sumerian approach. 

Dresden Codex

Itzamna

Germany
Odin - Runes
~150 AD

4th century AD Einang Stone. Wikimedia Commons

"(Ek go) oagastiz runo fahido" 

Translated by Erik Moltke "(I, Go)dguest painted/wrote this runic inscription"

Odin sacrificed himself for the knowledge of runes; this is a stark contrast to the other three and makes me wonder if parts of the Norse myths were heavily influenced by the onset of Christianity. The style of runes is so different from any of the other scripts/glyphs seen that he might have to be a separate god (younger, maybe). The power of the runes is also much greater than that seen in the other systems, and his pursuit was not selfless: he wanted them for himself first, and they trickled down into the rest of the world after.

I know that I hung on a windy tree

nine long nights,

wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin,

myself to myself,

on that tree of which no man knows from where its roots run.

No bread did they give me nor a drink from a horn,

downwards I peered;

I took up the runes,

screaming I took them,

then I fell back from there.

Larrington, Carolyne. The Poetic Edda.