A system of wedge-shaped marks pressed into clay tablets, representing syllables, words, and even ideas.
Here's why:
* Wedge-shaped marks: The most distinctive feature of cuneiform is its use of wedge-shaped marks, created by pressing a stylus into soft clay tablets.
* Syllabic and logographic: Cuneiform was primarily a syllabic system, where each mark represented a syllable. However, it also had logographic elements, where individual marks stood for entire words or even concepts.
* Evolutionary: Cuneiform writing evolved over thousands of years, becoming increasingly complex and incorporating more abstract symbols.
* Durable medium: Clay tablets were a durable medium, allowing for the preservation of cuneiform texts for millennia.
Cuneiform is a fascinating example of early writing, providing valuable insights into the ancient Mesopotamian civilization and its culture.