Cuneiform is one of the earliest systems of writing, developed by the Sumerians of ancient Mesopotamia around 3200 BCE. It involved pressing a stylus into clay tablets to create wedge-shaped marks, enabling the recording of languages, laws, and economic transactions in a durable medium.

Cuneiform

earliest systems of writing

The Sumerians were one of the earliest known civilizations, flourishing in Mesopotamia around 4500 BCE, and are credited with many foundational aspects of human culture, including the development of writing, urbanization, and complex societal structures. Their innovations, such as cuneiform script and the wheel, laid the groundwork for subsequent civilizations in the region and influenced the course of human history.

Sumerians

Ancient Mesopotamia, often referred to as the 'Cradle of Civilization,' was a region in the Eastern Mediterranean where some of the earliest human civilizations, including Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria, emerged around 3500 BCE. It is renowned for its pioneering developments in writing, law, urbanization, and agriculture, which laid foundational aspects for future societies.

ancient Mesopotamia

3200 BCE

pressing a stylus into clay tablets

Wedge-shaped marks are the hallmark of cuneiform script, an ancient writing system used by various early civilizations in Mesopotamia. These marks were typically inscribed onto clay tablets with a stylus made from reed, providing a versatile means of communication over a wide span of history.

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