Before parchment or paper were common, other surfaces were used to inscribe text, such as papyrus and clay. Harder surfaces were also used, such as stone, wood, or metal. Much of what today would be written down as text, survived in the ancient world through the oral tradition. When ancient cultures did utilize these materials to preserve text, they chose their words carefully. These raw materials were time consuming to prepare and not always widely accessible.

The method of writing varied according to the material. On stone, letters could be incised or written with ink; clay could be impressed before drying; and metal could be cast in a mold. Because many of these surfaces are durable, a fortunate number of texts survive from the ancient world, albeit in fragmentary condition.

While those ancient texts that have prevailed demonstrate the longevity of the medium on which they are recorded, they also reveal the role and function of writing in the cultures they represent.

The hard surfaces of stone, wood, or metal were not easily inscribed, and this difficulty restricted both the choice and the amount of text recorded in this fashion. Clay and papyrus, though more easily harvested and manufactured, possessed equally limiting characteristics that made them vulnerable to destruction. Those ancient cultures that utilized these materials to preserve their written record, chose their words carefully. Much of what today would be written down as text, survived in the ancient world through the oral tradition.