Cuneiform Writing: The Oldest Known Script in Human History #3482482 (License: Personal Use)

This image captures the moment of cuneiform inscription: a reed stylus pressing into soft clay to form distinctive wedge-shaped marks-the world’s earliest known writing system, developed by the Sumerians around 3400 BCE. The texture of the clay and precision of the impressions reveal the craftsmanship involved in recording administrative, literary, and legal texts in ancient Mesopotamia.

Used on educational, museum, or archaeology-focused web pages to illustrate early writing systems; matches user intent for learning about ancient scripts, historical literacy, or Mesopotamian civilization.