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Origins of world's earliest writing point to symbols on 'seals' used in Mesopotamian trade

Live Science
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Cuneiform is thought to be the world's oldest known system of writing.

It was developed in early Mesopotamia around 3100 B.C. and is the earliest writing system.

A new study suggests that cuneiform was influenced by symbols used for trade.

The study highlights several motifs seen on preliterate cylinder seals from the city of Uruk .

University of Pennsylvania archaeologist Holly Pittman says the new study verified her suggestion from roughly 30 years ago .

Pittman said the idea was dismissed at the time, but she was pleased to see that the authors of the study had reached the same conclusion.

The imagery on seals was a fundamental influence on proto-cuneiform writing, she says.