Specifically, it was used to:
* Track economic transactions: This included recording the amounts of grain, livestock, and other goods exchanged.
* Maintain inventories: They would use it to list the goods in storage.
* Document legal contracts: These might detail land ownership, loans, or other agreements.
* Record historical events: Cuneiform was used to chronicle important events, such as battles, harvests, and the reigns of kings.
While cuneiform eventually developed into a form of writing that could express complex ideas and literature, its initial purpose was purely practical and centered around managing the day-to-day affairs of a complex society.