Scribd
Upload
22 views2 pages

Script Auction

Clay tablets were the primary medium for cuneiform writing in ancient Mesopotamian civilizations like Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria. Scribes would press wedge-shaped characters into soft clay using a stylus, creating durable records after the clay hardened. Clay tablets were used from 3500 BCE to 539 BCE to record everything from accounting and legal codes to religious texts and literature. They played a vital role in preserving knowledge across civilizations until their importance declined as these societies did. Rediscovered in the 19th century, clay tablets provided crucial insights into ancient history and languages after cuneiform was deciphered.

Uploaded by

EMS
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
22 views2 pages

Script Auction

Clay tablets were the primary medium for cuneiform writing in ancient Mesopotamian civilizations like Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria. Scribes would press wedge-shaped characters into soft clay using a stylus, creating durable records after the clay hardened. Clay tablets were used from 3500 BCE to 539 BCE to record everything from accounting and legal codes to religious texts and literature. They played a vital role in preserving knowledge across civilizations until their importance declined as these societies did. Rediscovered in the 19th century, clay tablets provided crucial insights into ancient history and languages after cuneiform was deciphered.

Uploaded by

EMS
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Clay Tablets are the primary medium for cuneiform writing.

Scribes would use a stylus to press


the characters onto soft clay tablets. After the clay hardened, the tablets became durable
records. It played a significant role in recording and preserving information in various ancient
civilizations, especially during the Mesopotamian era. Clay tablets remain a symbol of the
ancient Mesopotamian civilizations, offering a tangible link to the past and contributing
significantly to our understanding of the ancient world.
The Sumerian Civilization (3500 BCE - 2000 BCE) pioneered clay tablets for cuneiform writing,
initially for accounting and later expanded for legal codes, religious texts, and literature. The
Akkadian Empire (2334 BCE - 2154 BCE) adopted Sumerian cuneiform extensively on clay
tablets, with the Akkadian language dominating. Babylonians and Assyrians (2000 BCE - 539
BCE) maintained clay tablets for diverse records, storing vast collections in libraries like
Nineveh's.
The Hittite Empire (1600 BCE - 1180 BCE) used cuneiform on clay tablets for diplomatic and
historical records. In the Persian Empire (550 BCE - 330 BCE), rulers like Cyrus and Darius
continued clay tablet use for administration, showcased by the trilingual Behistun Inscription in
Iran.

As Mesopotamian civilizations declined, clay tablet use waned. Rediscovered in the 19th
century, these tablets provided crucial insights into ancient history, culture, and languages. The
decipherment of cuneiform, aided by the Behistun Inscription, unlocked the wealth of knowledge
within these ancient tablets, offering a deeper understanding of the past. Clay tablets were
indispensable tools for documentation, communication, and the preservation of knowledge in
the ancient era. Their importance lies in their role as a foundational medium for recording and
transmitting information, forming a vital part of the cultural and historical legacy of ancient
civilizations.

Cuneiform writing is one of the earliest known systems of writing, developed by the ancient
Sumerians of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500 BCE. The term "cuneiform" comes
from the Latin words "cuneus" (wedge) and "forma" (shape), referring to the wedge- shaped
marks made by a reed stylus on clay tablets. Cuneiform was logographic (words) and syllabic
(syllables) that evolved overtime. Its characters are usually triangular that re crossing with each
other using reed stylus (sharpened bamboo). The use of the blunt red stylus played a vital role
in developing and preserving written records in ancient civilizations,contributing significantly to
our understanding of their history and culture.

Cuneiform Script is one of the earliest schemes of writing identified by its wedge-shaped marks
on clay tablets, built by means of blunt reed for a stylus. Cuneiform was in use for more than
three millennia, through several points of development from the 34th century BCE down to the
second century CE.
While cuneiform was prevalent in ancient Mesopotamia, it eventually gave way to other writing
systems, such as the Phoenician alphabet, which became the basis for many modern
alphabets. Cuneiform remained largely unreadable for centuries until the 19th century when
scholars began deciphering it, notably with the assistance of the Behistun Inscription in Persia,
which contained text in three languages, including Old Persian, Babylonian, and Elamite.
The Phoenician alphabet, originating from the North Semitic alphabet, was disseminated across
the Mediterranean by Phoenician traders. This writing system likely serves as the precursor to
the Greek alphabet and, consequently, influences all Western alphabets. The simplicity and
adaptability of the Phoenician script contributed to its widespread adoption, marking a crucial
development in the evolution of written communication.

You might also like