Here's a breakdown:
* Marks: These were not letters but signs, representing syllables, words, or even entire concepts.
* Clay tablets: These were the primary writing surface, baked in the sun or fired in a kiln to make the writing permanent.
* Stylus: This was a tool with a triangular or rectangular tip, used to make the wedge-shaped marks by pressing into the clay.
Key points:
* Evolution: Cuneiform started as simple pictographs and evolved into more complex signs over time.
* Adaptability: The system could be used to write multiple languages, including Akkadian, Sumerian, Elamite, and Hittite.
* Wide use: It was used for a wide range of purposes, from record-keeping and administrative documents to literature, legal texts, and even religious writings.
Cuneiform writing was a significant invention, allowing for the preservation of knowledge and communication across vast distances and time.