ðˈʌs, tʊ ˈeɪd mˌɛmɚɹᵻzˈeɪʃən ænd ˈoːɹəl tɹænsmˈɪʃən, sɚvˈaɪvɪŋ wˈɜːks fɹʌm pɹˌiːhɪstˈɔːɹɪk ænd ˈeɪntʃənt səsˈaɪəɾiz ɐpˈɪɹ tə hɐvbɪn fˈɜːst kəmpˈoʊzd ɪn ɐ poʊˈɛɾɪk fˈɔːɹm fɹʌmðə vˈɛdəz wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd fˈaɪvhˈʌndɹɪd wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd tə ðɪ ˈɑːdɪsi ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪkshˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈaɪv.
Thus, to aid memorization and oral transmission, surviving works from prehistoric and ancient societies appear to have been first composed in a poetic form – from the Vedas (1500–1000 ) to the Odyssey (800–675 ).