Definition of the glossary term cuneiform
Cuneiform is considered the earliest documented form of written language and expression. It was comprised of over 500 pictographs and symbols, and was invented by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia in the 4th millenium B.C.
Cuneifrom was used for thousands of years, and evolved continually during its use. Scribes used clay tablets to etch or inscribe the symbols, using a stylus made from a sharpened reed.
Cuneifrom was adapted for use by the Akkadians and the Hittites, and continued to be used during Greek dominance. It eventually was replaced by the Aramaic language and alphabet, as Christianity began to gain prominence in the region.
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