Introduction to Cuneiform: Learning the World's Oldest Writing System

Summary

This article provides an introduction to cuneiform writing, the world's oldest writing system, through the work of Dr. Irving Finkel, a cuneiform expert at the British Museum. It explains how museum educators teach children to write their names using ancient alphabets, while Dr. Finkel aims to inspire deeper engagement with the 130,000+ Mesopotamian tablets in the museum's collection spanning from the Early Dynastic period to the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The piece serves as an educational guide to understanding and practicing this ancient writing system.