Which ancient civilization developed cuneiform writing?

Which ancient civilization developed cuneiform writing?

• A. Maya
• B. Ancient Greece
• C. Egypt
• D. Sumer (Mesopotamia)

Answer: (D)

Cuneiform writing emerged in ancient Mesopotamia, developed by the Sumerians. To manage trade and administration, Sumerians started by carving pictographs into soft clay with a reed stylus, and over time these marks evolved into wedge-shaped signs that could express sounds as well as ideas. This system became foundational for record-keeping and literature across Mesopotamia, later adopted by cultures like the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians. By contrast, the Maya in Central America developed a distinct hieroglyphic and syllabic script; ancient Greece built an alphabetic system derived from Phoenician; and ancient Egypt used hieroglyphs and related scripts. So, the civilization associated with cuneiform is Sumer in Mesopotamia.

Cuneiform writing emerged in ancient Mesopotamia, developed by the Sumerians. To manage trade and administration, Sumerians started by carving pictographs into soft clay with a reed stylus, and over time these marks evolved into wedge-shaped signs that could express sounds as well as ideas. This system became foundational for record-keeping and literature across Mesopotamia, later adopted by cultures like the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians. By contrast, the Maya in Central America developed a distinct hieroglyphic and syllabic script; ancient Greece built an alphabetic system derived from Phoenician; and ancient Egypt used hieroglyphs and related scripts. So, the civilization associated with cuneiform is Sumer in Mesopotamia.