Cuneiform ~upd~ -

One of the most remarkable things about cuneiform is its adaptability. It wasn't just for the Sumerians. As different empires rose and fell, the script was adopted and modified by various cultures: The first to adapt it to a Semitic language.

Silent signs that told the reader the category of the word (e.g., a prefix indicating the following word is a god’s name). cuneiform

Symbols representing phonetic syllables (e.g., "ba," "ti," or "nu"). One of the most remarkable things about cuneiform

Symbols representing entire words (e.g., a sign for "king"). Silent signs that told the reader the category

By the 2nd century CE, cuneiform had died out, replaced by the simpler Phoenician-derived alphabets. It remained a mystery for over 1,500 years until the 19th century.

The world’s first great work of literature.

Created a simplified, alphabetic-style cuneiform for Old Persian. 4. Why It Matters: The Written Legacy