Writing was invented over 5,000 years ago in southern Mesopotamia as a way for the Mesopotamians to record various types of information such as records of crops and taxes using pictograms drawn on clay tablets; this early form of writing evolved into a wedge-shaped script called cuneiform that represented signs like barley, head, bird, ox, and tree and helped the Mesopotamians communicate and record important information which changed their lives and ultimately led to the development of modern writing systems.

1. An ancient invention

2. 1. Introduction
2. The Story of Writing
3. Learning About Writing: What is it? How is it used?
Why was it invented?
4. Cuneiform
5. The Signs
6. Changing Mesopotamians’ Lives
7. Changing Our Lives
8. Q&A: Questions & Answers
9. Resources

3. Over five thousand years ago, the
Mesopotamians invented a form of writing
to record and communicate different types
of information. Because of them, we
developed our own way to write.

4. People from southern Mesopotamia developed one of
the earliest forms of writing.
The first kind of writing was called pictograms,
which were used to announce basic info due to crops
and taxes.
This form of writing began with pictures or
signs drawn on clay tablets using reed styli.
Later on, the signs evolved into cuneiform.
This is because the signs were too complicated.

5.  A way to record and communicate information.
 Track amount of crops they receive and sell
 Letters, stories, myths and more!
 Sumerians believed in education and recording
was very important to them.
 They invented writing so their sons could
learn how to read and write.

6.  written language invented in Southern Mesopotamia
 used to record a cast of information such as temple
activities, business and trade
 used to jot down stories, myths, and personal letters
 wedge-shaped symbols now called ‘cuneiform’

7. Back then they used signs instead of letters. The signs used
in Mesopotamia are:
Barley Head Bird Ox Tree
After many centuries, the signs changed, and most
of them were wedged shaped symbols:
Cuneiform.
Palm

8. How did writing change Mesopotamians’
lives?
 Recording information, so they could
remember, similar to a journal.
 Help communicate with their
friends, like a letter.
 Write stories, myths and personal
letters.
So, these are the reasons that writing
helps the Mesopotamians.

9. Now you see how it changed the
Mesopotamians’ lives, do you wonder
how writing changed ours?
 Gave us a idea to use letters.
 way of carving on stone gave us
the idea to write on paper.
 Without writing, knowledge from
the past could be lost from
generation to generation.
Now you know how writing changed
our lives.

10. 1. Where was writing invented?
2. How is writing used?
3. What is cuneiform? Where was it invented?
4. Name four signs in Ancient Mesopotamia.

11.  www.mesopotamia.co.uk/writing/home_set.htm
l
 www.mesopotamia.co.uk/writing/story/sto_se
t.html
 www.mesopotamia.mrdonn.org/cuneiform.html