The Mesopotamians invented cuneiform writing to record commercial transactions, manage goods and properties, as well as preserve religious and political texts.
The Mesopotamians were busy with an ever-increasing number of trade exchanges. It was not easy to count the harvests, the livestock, or to remember who owed what to whom just by relying on memory! So they had the brilliant idea of using small symbols carved into clay to record all of that. This gave rise to cuneiform writing, which, in its early stages, was mainly based on the practical need for clear, precise, and reliable accounts. The first writings were mostly kinds of receipts or records: the number of bags of grain harvested, labor quotas, tax payments, inventories of goods. In short, it was their clever and efficient way of ensuring the administrative and economic tracking of their society, without any hassle.
With the development of cities and trade in the region, keeping everything in mind became impossible. Mesopotamian merchants needed a clear and reliable way to record sales, exchanges, and even promises made between them. Cuneiform writing emerged to accurately note which goods were exchanged (grains, animals, textiles), in what quantities, and at what price. It also allowed for the confirmation of agreements made, thus avoiding scams or forgetfulness—this could greatly simplify commercial life at a time when markets were becoming real business centers. These tablets became genuine receipts or contracts, providing reassurance to any merchant before shaking hands!
The Mesopotamians had a practical need to pass on their history and culture to future generations. By engraving stories, myths, and events on clay tablets, they finally had a solid and lasting way to protect their collective memory from oblivion. The Epic of Gilgamesh, for example, is a legendary Mesopotamian tale written in cuneiform, and it is one of the oldest known stories to this day. Thanks to this written approach, it was possible to preserve stories, religious beliefs, as well as historical events like the reigns of great kings or even certain significant disasters. It was simply their way of leaving a lasting mark that would be accessible in the future.
The Mesopotamians quickly realized the need to keep a clear and lasting record of their laws and important political decisions. Why? Simple: it avoided having to discuss them hundreds of times, and everyone benefited. One of the best examples is the famous Code of Hammurabi, written around 1750 BC. This text clearly outlines rules for daily life and even specifies punishments associated with offenses or crimes. At that time, having these rules engraved in stone allowed every resident to be aware of their rights and duties, reduced unnecessary conflicts, and reinforced the authority of the leader or king. In other words, cuneiform writing helped to clearly structure Mesopotamian society by ensuring that everyone was on the same page.
The invention of cuneiform allowed Mesopotamian priests to record prayers, rites, and especially religious myths. It was useful for keeping a reliable record of ceremonies to be repeated regularly, such as offerings or rituals dedicated to the gods. Thanks to this, the rituals were consistent throughout the territory, preventing everyone from improvising their own version. The tablets were also used to interpret celestial or natural phenomena as divine omens, and to carefully preserve sacred hymns sung during important ceremonies.
The term 'cuneiform' comes from the Latin 'cuneus', meaning 'wedge' or 'nail', due to the characteristic shape of the marks left on clay by the stylus used.
Cuneiform writing was used for over 3,000 years and evolved to represent several different languages such as Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, and even Hittite.
Some cuneiform tablets have survived to this day simply because they were accidentally baked during fires, unexpectedly solidifying their inscriptions.
The royal library of Ashurbanipal in Mesopotamia contained over 20,000 cuneiform tablets, covering topics ranging from mathematics to literary texts and astrology treaties.
Mesopotamian scribes were specialists trained from a young age in schools called 'édubbas'. They learned to master complex cuneiform characters, mathematics, and administrative management. Being a scribe was considered a prestigious role associated with administrative and religious power.
In addition to administrative records, Mesopotamian civilization produced epic narratives such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, scientific and astrological texts, religious hymns, legal treaties, as well as diplomatic correspondence.
Cuneiform gradually disappeared as simpler and alphabetic scripts, such as the Aramaic and Greek alphabets, spread throughout the Middle East. Additionally, conquests and changes in political power contributed to the decline of its usage, with the last known cuneiform text dating from the first century AD.
Egyptian hieroglyphs are made up of easily recognizable images that directly represent objects, living beings, or ideas. In contrast, Mesopotamian cuneiform writing evolved from simplified pictograms into abstract shapes, primarily composed of wedge-like strokes that facilitated quick writing on clay.
Cuneiform was inscribed using a stylus made from a sharpened reed. Scribes pressed the stylus onto wet clay tablets to form the characteristic cuneiform symbols in the shape of wedges or nails. Once the clay was dry or fired, the text became permanent and durable.
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