Changes

==Sumer==

==Sumer==

[[Image:Letter Luenna Louvre AO4238.jpg|200px|right|thumb|A cuneiform letter from a Sumerian queen to her king, dating from 2400 BC.]]

[[Image:Letter Luenna Louvre AO4238.jpg|200px|right|thumb|A cuneiform letter from a Sumerian queen to her king, dating from the third millenium BC.]]

In the "[[fertile crescent]]," which is modern-day [[Iraq]], the [[Sumerian]] and [[Babylonian]] civilizations developed a writing system known as [[cuneiform]].  Cuneiform appears to have developed as a tallying system developed for commercial trade.  As the economy of the region diversified, it became necessary to keep track of transactions, as well as to write contracts and legal codes.   

In the "[[fertile crescent]]," which is modern-day [[Iraq]], the [[Sumerian]] and [[Babylonian]] civilizations developed a writing system known as [[cuneiform]].  Cuneiform appears to have developed as a tallying system developed for commercial trade.  As the economy of the region diversified, it became necessary to keep track of transactions, as well as to write contracts and legal codes.   

One of the earliest complete documents we have is the Sumerian King List, which listed the kings of ancient Sumer.  This list provides extra-biblical evidence of an ancient flood which covered the entire Earth.

One of the earliest complete documents we have is the Sumerian King List, which listed the kings of ancient Sumer.  This list provides extra-biblical evidence of an ancient flood which covered the entire Earth.

Unlike many writing systems of the ancient world, the clay tablets that cuneiform tended to be written on can survive for thousands of years.  We have a personal letter from a queen to a king dating from 2400 BC.  See picture.

Unlike many writing systems of the ancient world, the clay tablets that cuneiform tended to be written on can survive for thousands of years.  We have a personal letter from a queen to a king dating from the third millenium BC.  See picture.

In the 7th century BC, the [[Epic of Gilgamesh]] was written with cuneiform, one of the earliest works of [[literature]].

In the 7th century BC, the [[Epic of Gilgamesh]] was written with cuneiform, one of the earliest works of [[literature]].