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'''Cuneiform''' is the earliest form of [[writing]].  Cuneiforms were made by pressing a sharpened [[reed]] into a soft clay tablet to make wedge shaped letters.  Cuneiform comes from the [[Latin]] word ''cuneus'', meaning wedge. <ref>Spodek, Howard. ''The World's History''. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2006. 56.</ref>

'''Cuneiform''' is the earliest form of [[writing]].  Cuneiforms were made by pressing a sharpened [[reed]] into a soft clay tablet to make wedge shaped letters.  Cuneiform comes from the [[Latin]] word ''cuneus'', meaning wedge. <ref>Spodek, Howard. ''The World's History''. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2006. 56.</ref>

== Pre-Cuneiform Clay Tokens ==

== Pre-Cuneiform Clay Tokens ==

Small clay tokens of multiple shapes have been found in Near Eastern sites of 8000-3000 B.C. and constitute the earliest evidence for accounting, and constitute the current theory as to the origin of writing<ref> Schmandt-Besserat, Denise. 1992. Before Writing. Austin: University of Texas Press</ref> . Clay 'envelopes' have been found alongside these tokens, and the current hypothesis is that initially such tokens were used for trade and to keep records. In the earliest instances, the tokens were merely sealed into the envelopes to secure the record. Somewhat later, in order that the contents of the sealed envelope could be read, the tokens were pressed into the wet clay of the envelope prior to sealing. Later on still, the tokens were left out of the envelope, which was then collapsed to form a clay tablet, with the tokens merely being pressed into the surface of the wet clay. This then became the record. The standard cuneiform tablet which evolved from this was then a small step. <ref> For a fuller explanation of this see: http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/lrc/numerals/dsb/dsb.html </ref>.  

Small clay tokens of multiple shapes have been found in Near Eastern sites of 8000-3000 B.C. and constitute the earliest evidence for accounting, and constitute the current theory as to the origin of writing<ref> Schmandt-Besserat, Denise. 1992. Before Writing. Austin: University of Texas Press</ref> . Clay 'envelopes' have been found alongside these tokens, and the current hypothesis is that initially such tokens were used for trade and to keep records. In the earliest instances, the tokens were merely sealed into the envelopes to secure the record. Somewhat later, in order that the contents of the sealed envelope could be read, the tokens were pressed into the wet clay of the envelope prior to sealing. Later on still, the tokens were left out of the envelope, which was then collapsed to form a clay tablet, with the tokens merely being pressed into the surface of the wet clay. This then became the record. The standard cuneiform tablet which evolved from this was then a small step. <ref> For a fuller explanation of this see: http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/lrc/numerals/dsb/dsb.html </ref>.  

 

== The development of Cuneiform ==

== The Evolution of Cuneiform ==

[[Image:Cuneiform.jpg|thumb|300px|A cuneiform tablet]]

[[Image:Cuneiform.jpg|thumb|300px|A cuneiform tablet]]