Final answer:
The ancient Egyptians had an advantage over the ancient Mesopotamians in writing materials because papyrus was more durable than clay tablets.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most significant advantage that the ancient Egyptians had over the ancient Mesopotamians in the area of writing materials was that papyrus was more durable than clay tablets. Egyptian scribes used papyrus, a writing material made from the fibers of a reed plant, which could be rolled into scrolls and stored as records. Papyrus rolls have survived for thousands of years due to the dry heat in Egypt, allowing them to be preserved and studied by modern historians and archaeologists.