I was mostly intetested in the kinds of oral traditions, and maybe other traditions to catch knowledge without writing, say, using sculpted / cut figures, etc.
For about half of its lifetime at least, the vedas were meticulously passed down orally with a priest present at its ritual to catch for any errors in word or deed.
A teacher I had of Jewish descent said something similar about his tradition.
It was a lot more common to memorize texts and cultural highlights. In the even recent past most people could recite complete poems and stories by heart.