Final answer:
The Sumerians developed cuneiform, an early writing system characterized by wedge-shaped symbols on clay tablets, used for record-keeping, laws, and literature.
Step-by-step explanation:
Instead of using pictographs, Sumerians developed a type of writing called cuneiform. Cuneiform is one of the earliest known forms of written expression, beginning as a system of pictographs around the 30th century BC. The writing system evolved to use wedge-shaped symbols that represented syllables, thereby constituting a phonetic script. These symbols were impressed onto clay tablets using a reed stylus.
The Sumerians used cuneiform for various purposes, including recording laws, commercial transactions, tax records, and eventually for the creation of literature. Clay tablets with cuneiform inscriptions have provided a wealth of knowledge about the history, society, economy, and beliefs of the ancient Sumerians and other Mesopotamian cultures.