Question

When was writing invented?

Answer 1

Writing was independently invented in various parts of the world, and different scripts emerged at different times. The earliest known form of writing is cuneiform, which was developed by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia around 3500 BCE. Other early writing systems include Egyptian hieroglyphs around 3300 BCE and the Indus script in the Indian subcontinent around 3300–1300 BCE.

It's important to note that the concept of "invention" in the context of writing is somewhat complex, as writing likely developed gradually over time and was influenced by various cultural and practical needs.

Answer 2

Writing was invented in Sumer, modern-day southern Mesopotamia, around 3400 BCE. It started as pictographs and evolved into the cuneiform script by 3000 BCE. Cuneiform facilitated record-keeping, creation of literature, and the spread of knowledge.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Invention of Writing

The earliest known evidence of writing traces back to Sumer, a region in southern Mesopotamia. Writing was invented around 3400 BCE, initially as a system of pictographs. These pictographs evolved over time into cuneiform script which became a complex system of writing by around 3000 BCE. Cuneiform started as a method for record-keeping, particularly for economic transactions and tax records. However, it eventually developed into a means for creating literature, laws, and religious texts.

The first writings were not merely an extension of accounting techniques but a deliberate attempt to render the spoken Sumerian language in symbolic form. Writing in cuneiform involved using a reed stylus to press wedge-shaped symbols into clay tablets.

These tablets could be fired to create durable records. The development of writing had a profound impact as it allowed information to be stored outside the human brain, increasing society's ability to amass and communicate knowledge.

Notably, cuneiform was used to write several languages and facilitated international communication in the region, even serving as a diplomatic language among 'great kings'. Though cuneiform eventually ceased to be used with the rise of alphabetic scripts, it remains one of the earliest and most significant writing systems.