Cuneiform sumerian tablet

Clay tablet with Sumerian cuneiform script, one of the earliest writing systems in human history, dating to around 3000 BCE.

About this subject

The clay tablet with cuneiform script is a testament to the invention of writing by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq. Around 3400 to 3000 BCE, the Sumerians developed this writing system using reed styluses cut into wedge shapes to impress signs on moist clay. Initially used for recording commercial and administrative transactions, cuneiform evolved to express languages such as Sumerian, Akkadian, and Hittite over millennia.

Tablets were typically made from river clay, shaped and inscribed while still soft. After writing, they were dried in the sun or baked in kilns for preservation. Thousands of these tablets have survived, providing information on laws, literature, religion, and daily life. The famous Epic of Gilgamesh was recorded on cuneiform tablets.

Cuneiform was deciphered in the 19th century by scholars like Henry Rawlinson, using the trilingual Behistun Inscription. UNESCO recognizes cuneiform tablets as Memory of the World. Today, major collections are held at the British Museum, the Louvre, and the National Museum of Iraq, though many tablets have been looted after recent conflicts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is cuneiform writing?

It is a writing system developed by the Sumerians around 3000 BCE, using wedge-shaped marks impressed on clay. It was used for several languages for over three thousand years.

How were cuneiform tablets made?

They were shaped from moist clay, inscribed with a reed stylus, and then dried in the sun or baked. This allowed many to survive to the present day.

Where can I see original cuneiform tablets?

In museums such as the British Museum in London, the Louvre in Paris, and the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad. Some are in university and private collections.