Written language of Mesopotamia

The most ancient written documents found by archaeologists refer to the year 3300 BC. The appearance of written language coincides with the time of the cities development. At the same time wheel and knowledge about the copper melting appeared in Mesopotamia.

There was the Sumerian kingdom in the East between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. The East was occupied by the country Elam. The cities of these countries were highly populated. And numerous traders and craftsmen had to fix their business somehow. So, written language was invented in such way.

Sumerians were the first to create the system of writing. Elam adapted the Sumerian cuneiform to their language that was written with the help of pictograms before.

The system of clay balls was used to count the property of Sumerians. At first every ball meant one object. Then the form and the size of the ball got the meaning too. And soon Sumerians started even to mark them with the help of fingers that changed the weight. These balls were put into the container made of clay that identified the owner. And by the 3300 BC the first descriptions of things inside it began to appear. Soon the balls became useless and disappeared and the container became flat. In such way the first clay plates appeared.

With the development of written language Sumerians started to use it for its administrative and juridical spheres.