Cuneiform Lesson

Cuneiform started as pictograms and became more complex over time.

Akkadian replaced Sumerian as the spoken language, but Sumerian continued in sacred contexts.

Writing was only used by men in Mesopotamia.

Libraries existed in Mesopotamia by the time of the Babylonian Empire.

It was a form of writing using wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets.

It was a spoken language used only by priests.

It was a type of paper invented in Mesopotamia.

It was a decorative art form used in temples.

Egyptians, around 2500 BCE

Greeks, around 1500 BCE

Sumerians, around 3500 BCE

Romans, around 500 BCE

Ancient script

Clay writing

Wedge-shaped

Sacred carvings

It started with abstract symbols and became pictographs.

It began with pictographs and evolved into complex symbols for sounds and meanings.

It was always a system of complex symbols for sounds and meanings.

It evolved from simple lines to intricate drawings.

500 years, mainly religious texts.

1,000 years, primarily royal decrees.

3,000 years, including economic transactions, literature, laws, and history.

2,000 years, mostly scientific observations.