Final answer:
The earliest systems of writing, such as cuneiform in Sumer, pre-date 3000 B.C, making it one of the oldest known forms of writing dating back to approximately the 30th century BC.
Step-by-step explanation:
The earliest systems of human writing pre-date 3000 B.C. The evidence of writing, specifically cuneiform script, has been found in Sumer and is dated to around 3000 BCE, making it one of the earliest known forms of written expression.
Initially used as pictographs for record-keeping purposes, it evolved into a script that also included syllabic symbols and was used to record various types of language, eventually spreading through Mesopotamia and beyond. Its use ranged from economic records to royal inscriptions and even literature.