Cuneiform - Wikipedia
WebCuneiform is a logo-syllabic writing system that was used to write several languages of the Ancient Near East. The script was in active use from the early Bronze Age until the beginning of the Common Era. Cuneiform scripts are marked by and named for the characteristic wedge-shaped impressions (Latin: cuneus) which form their signs.
Cuneiform | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica
WebCuneiform, system of writing used in the ancient Middle East. The name, a coinage from Latin and Middle French roots meaning ‘wedge-shaped,’ has been the modern designation from the early 18th century onward. Learn more …
Cuneiform - World History Encyclopedia
WebNov 17, 2022 · Cuneiform is a system of writing first developed by the ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia c. 3500 BCE. It is considered the most significant among the many cultural contributions of the Sumerians and the greatest among those of the Sumerian city of Uruk, which advanced the writing of cuneiform c. 3200 BCE and allowed for the creation of …
The World's Oldest Writing - Archaeology Magazine
WebThe wedge-shaped writing on the tablets, known as cuneiform, demonstrated that these ancient stargazers used geometric calculations to predict the motion of Jupiter.
How to write cuneiform | British Museum
WebJan 21, 2021 · Learn how to write cuneiform – the oldest form of writing in the world – with curator Irving Finkel, using just a lolly stick and a piece of clay to master the ancient script!
Cuneiform (article) | Ancient Near East | Khan Academy
WebCuneiform is one of the oldest forms of writing known. It means "wedge-shaped," because people wrote it using a reed stylus cut to make a wedge-shaped mark on a clay tablet. Letters enclosed in clay envelopes, as well as works of literature, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh have been found.
Smarthistory – Cuneiform, an introduction
WebDec 6, 2023 · The latest known example of cuneiform is an astronomical text from 75 C.E. During its 3,000-year history, cuneiform was used to write around 15 different languages including Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Elamite, Hittite, Urartian, and …
Home - Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative
WebBy making the form and content of cuneiform texts available online, the CDLI is opening pathways to the rich historical tradition of the ancient Middle East.
Cuneiform Timeline - World History Encyclopedia
WebCuneiform is a system of writing first developed by the ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia c. 3500 BCE. It is considered the most significant among the many cultural contributions of the Sumerians and the greatest among those of the Sumerian city of Uruk, which advanced the writing of cuneiform c. 3200 BCE and allowed for the creation of literature.
Cuneiform | Oxford Classical Dictionary
WebCuneiform denotes any of at least three writing systems of ancient Mesopotamia and the surrounding areas. It is characterized in its classical form by signs consisting of one or more wedge-shaped strokes (cf. Latin cuneus, “wedge”).
Skip to content