205:
153:
could be recorded. This convention began when people developed agriculture and settled into permanent communities that were centered on increasingly large and organized trading marketplaces. These marketplaces were purposed for the trade of sheep, grain, and bread loaves, where transactions were recorded with clay tokens. These, initially very small clay tokens, were continually used all the way from the pre-historic
Mesopotamia period, 9000 BCE, to the start of the historic period around 3000 BCE, when the use of writing for recording was widely adopted.
31:
1383:
1728:
234:
1711:
136:
the clay was recycled on an annual basis. However, some of the tablets were "fired" as a result of uncontrolled fires in the buildings where they were stored. The rest, remain tablets of unfired clay and are therefore extremely fragile. For this reason, some institutions are investigating the possibility of firing them
152:
Writing was not as we see it today. In
Mesopotamia, writing began as simple counting marks, sometimes alongside a non-arbitrary sign, in the form of a simple image, pressed into clay tokens or less commonly cut into wood, stone or pots. In that way, the exact number of goods involved in a transaction
135:
civilizations, are mainly those which were used for accounting. Tablets serving as labels with the impression of the side of a wicker basket on the back, and tablets showing yearly summaries, suggest a sophisticated accounting system. In this cultural region, tablets were never fired deliberately as
284:
Communication grew faster as now there was a way to get messages across just like mail. Important and private clay tablets were coated with an extra layer of clay, that no one else would read it. This means of communicating was used for over 3000 years in fifteen different languages. Sumerians,
252:
Text on clay tablets took the forms of myths, fables, essays, hymns, proverbs, epic poetry, business records, laws, plants, and animals. What these clay tablets allowed was for individuals to record who and what was significant. An example of these great stories was
160:
to record events happening during their time. Tools that these scribes used were styluses with sharp triangular tips, making it easy to leave markings on the clay; the clay tablets themselves came in a variety of colors such as bone white, chocolate, and charcoal.
259:. This story would tell of the great flood that destroyed Sumer. Remedies and recipes that would have been unknown were then possible because of the clay tablet. Some of the recipes were stew, which was made with goat, garlic, onions and sour milk.
112:). Once written upon, many tablets were dried in the sun or air, remaining fragile. Later, these unfired clay tablets could be soaked in water and recycled into new clean tablets. Other tablets, once written, were either deliberately fired in hot
204:
305:) to before 4000 BCE, and possibly dating from as long ago as 5500 BCE, but their interpretation remains controversial because the tablets were fired in a furnace and the properties of the carbon changed accordingly.
262:
By the end of the 3rd
Millennium BCE, (2200–2000 BCE), even the "short story" was first attempted, as independent scribes entered into the philosophical arena, with stories like: "
708:
244:
clay tablet, with numbers written in cuneiform script. Believed to have been written about 1800 BCE, this table lists two of the three numbers in what are now called
192:
are other examples of pictographs. The
Sumerians later shifted their writing to Cuneiform, defined as "Wedge writing" in Latin, which added phonetic symbols,
1228:
1571:
212:
165:
then began to appear on clay tablets around 4000 BCE, and after the later development of
Sumerian cuneiform writing, a more sophisticated partial
1758:
546:
1699:
421:
116:, or inadvertently fired when buildings were burnt down by accident or during conflict, making them hard and durable. Collections of these
496:
The
Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative gives an estimate of 500,000 for the total number of tablets (or fragments) that have been found.
731:
692:
662:
816:
637:
1365:
189:
1221:
1522:
1427:
483:
1628:
395:
369:
324:
dating to 1800–1600 BCE have been discovered. A full version has been found on tablets dated to the 1st millennium BCE.
263:
403:
1214:
585:
169:
evolved that by around 2500 BCE was capable of recording the vernacular, the everyday speech of the common people.
457:
1075:
407:
1611:
1549:
747:
Stephenson, F. R.; Yau, K. K. C.; Hunger, H. (April 1985). "Records of Halley's comet on
Babylonian tablets".
506:
Thickett, David; Odlyha, Marianne; Ling, Denise (2002). "An
Improved Firing Treatment for Cuneiform Tablets".
1190:
989:
888:
871:
453:
1768:
1670:
1599:
1559:
984:
294:
1753:
1653:
914:
876:
809:
267:
216:
1717:
339:) date back to around 1800 BCE. Tablets discussing astronomical records continue through around 75 CE.
124:. Tens of thousands of written tablets, including many fragments, have been found in the Middle East.
1532:
1352:
1048:
921:
756:
328:
185:
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551:
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128:
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1001:
772:
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688:
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477:
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364:
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320:
255:
70:
62:
30:
301:, may be still older, having been dated by indirect method (bones found near the tablet were
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1643:
1588:
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1501:
1491:
1195:
1113:
1070:
1043:
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298:
132:
1638:
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39:
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35:
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181:
784:
1554:
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1481:
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654:
241:
105:
1408:
1360:
1307:
1302:
996:
863:
193:
162:
794:
687:(Nachdr. ed.). Stanford, Calif.: Stanford Univ. Press. pp. xxi–xxii.
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1616:
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173:
90:
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1006:
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439:
166:
86:
17:
581:
233:
80:
1464:
1422:
1417:
1284:
1106:
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909:
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177:
120:
documents made up the first archives. They were at the root of the first
109:
94:
43:
938:
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527:
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121:
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1486:
1437:
1329:
1296:
1206:
1159:
1135:
969:
768:
221:
157:
101:
628:
Roberta
Binkley (2004). "Reading the Ancient Figure of Enheduanna".
519:
464:. Robert A. Guisepi. Archived from the original on 17 December 2017
1399:
1335:
1101:
933:
850:
285:
Babylonians and
Eblaites all had their own clay tablet libraries.
232:
208:
203:
113:
29:
1506:
1459:
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1267:
1164:
1096:
431:
117:
100:
Cuneiform characters were imprinted on a wet clay tablet with a
47:
1210:
798:
726:(Springer study ed.). New York: Springer. pp. 64–81.
655:"Signs on Tartaria Tablets found in the Romanian folkloric art"
1341:
976:
1693:
176:. Pictograms are symbols that express a pictorial concept, a
683:
Kovacs, transl., with an introd. by Maureen Gallery (2004).
612:
Cuneiform – Sumerian tablets and the world's oldest writing
85:) were used as a writing medium, especially for writing in
180:, as the meaning of the word. Early writing also began in
73:
607:
605:
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1515:
1398:
1351:
1316:
1244:
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Harry Ransom Center – University of Texas at Austin
27:
Writing medium, especially for writing in cuneiform
541:
539:
537:
663:The Global Prehistory Consortium, Euro Innovanet
78:
1222:
810:
8:
707:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
188:. Early hieroglyphs and some of the modern
1313:
1229:
1215:
1207:
840:
817:
803:
795:
576:
574:
127:Surviving tablet-based documents from the
582:"Cuneiform – World History Encyclopedia"
1706:
387:
156:The clay tablet was thus being used by
700:
475:
229:, the first author whose name is known
219:, inscribed with the text of the poem
1595:Commodity theory of money (Metallism)
630:Rhetoric before and beyond the Greeks
211:clay tablet, currently housed in the
7:
318:Fragments of tablets containing the
462:International World History Project
372:, the oldest known complaint letter
25:
1572:Akkadian standards of measurement
1726:
1709:
1381:
409:A concise dictionary of Akkadian
172:Sumerians used what is known as
1258:(W. Mesoamerica & N. Andes)
342:Late Babylonian tablets at the
329:Babylonian astronomical records
140:to aid in their preservation.
1:
1759:Archaeological artefact types
1575:
1523:List of historical currencies
1428:Central bank digital currency
653:Ioana Crişan; Marco Merlini.
51:
46:, and upon Emahsini, King of
1629:Standard of deferred payment
370:Complaint tablet to Ea-nasir
264:Debate between bird and fish
74:
42:, upon Abalgamash, king of
1785:
632:. SUNY Press. p. 47.
586:World History Encyclopedia
277:
79:
1376:
482:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
34:List of the victories of
1612:Quantity theory of money
1433:Chattel/movable property
456:; F. Roy Willis (2003).
346:refer to appearances of
268:List of Sumerian debates
1191:List of writing systems
902:Broussonetia papyrifera
889:Folding-book manuscript
872:Bamboo and wooden slips
722:Thurston, Hugh (1996).
508:Studies in Conservation
454:Guisepi, Robert Anthony
350:in 164 BCE and 87 BCE.
1671:Complementary currency
1600:Credit theory of money
1560:Depository institution
266:", and other topics, (
249:
230:
58:
1698:at Knowledge (XXG)'s
1654:Digital gold currency
915:Corypha umbraculifera
685:The epic of Gilgamesh
299:Danubian civilization
236:
217:University of Chicago
207:
33:
1533:Coincidence of wants
1353:Representative money
659:Prehistory Knowledge
200:Uses of clay tablets
1681:Time-based currency
761:1985Natur.314..587S
414:Harrassowitz Verlag
396:Black, Jeremy Allen
246:Pythagorean triples
1550:Clearinghouse bank
1238:Medium of exchange
1186:History of writing
616:factanddetails.com
404:Postgate, Nicholas
250:
231:
213:Oriental Institute
190:Chinese characters
93:and well into the
59:
1691:
1690:
1676:Sectoral currency
1622:Market monetarism
1585:Code of Hammurabi
1374:
1373:
1366:Gold certificates
1204:
1203:
1059:
1058:
1002:Photographic film
755:(6012): 587–592.
559:on 6 January 2018
458:"Ancient Sumeria"
423:978-3-447-04264-2
400:George, Andrew R.
365:Code of Hammurabi
360:Accounting tokens
321:Epic of Gilgamesh
309:History by region
256:Epic of Gilgamesh
225:by the priestess
89:, throughout the
63:Ancient Near East
16:(Redirected from
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1739:
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1729:
1722:
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1659:Virtual currency
1644:Digital currency
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1540:Bureau de change
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1386:
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1317:Domestic animals
1314:
1231:
1224:
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1208:
1196:Written language
1114:Electronic media
1071:Electronic paper
1044:Textile printing
841:
830:writing material
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769:10.1038/314587a0
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555:. Archived from
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494:
488:
487:
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412:(2nd ed.).
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295:Tărtăria tablets
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21:
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1701:sister projects
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1639:Unit of account
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1475:Deposit account
1448:Cheque clearing
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1280:Precious metals
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1181:Writing systems
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1090:Carrier objects
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955:Other materials
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944:Cyperus papyrus
857:Trema micrantha
832:
823:
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724:Early astronomy
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547:"Early Writing"
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520:10.2307/1506830
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416:. p. 415.
394:
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384:
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333:Enuma Anu Enlil
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311:
291:
282:
276:
222:Inanna and Ebih
202:
167:syllabic script
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55: 2270 BCE
54:
28:
23:
22:
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5:
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1738:from Wikiquote
1723:
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1666:Local currency
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1649:Cryptocurrency
1641:
1636:
1634:Store of value
1631:
1626:
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1589:§100; §122–125
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1579: 2150 BC
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1344:(Tibet, China)
1339:
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1287:(cotton cloth)
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1242:
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1174:Related topics
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344:British Museum
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280:Amarna letters
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104:often made of
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1591:; c. 1750 BC)
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1754:Clay tablets
1733:
1721:from Commons
1716:
1695:
1555:Savings bank
1545:Central bank
1482:Legal tender
1454:
1389:Money portal
1123:
1119:
1026:
961:Animal skin
942:
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748:
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561:. Retrieved
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242:Plimpton 322
220:
194:syllabograms
171:
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99:
67:clay tablets
66:
60:
18:Clay tablets
1696:Clay tablet
1507:Safekeeping
1361:Bimetallism
1276:(W. Africa)
1131:Inscription
1064:Impermanent
1027:Clay tablet
997:Oracle bone
864:Ficus aurea
844:Plant-based
514:(1): 1–11.
327:Tablets on
186:hieroglyphs
163:Pictographs
1748:Categories
1735:Quotations
1617:Monetarism
1605:Chartalism
1502:Redemption
1492:Possession
1455:Clay token
1308:Trade bead
1262:Cocoa bean
1246:Commodity
1148:Palimpsest
1143:Manuscript
1136:Bas-relief
1081:Skywriting
1037:Wax tablet
1017:Petroglyph
877:Birch bark
668:5 November
591:2014-06-16
468:5 November
382:References
278:See also:
239:Babylonian
227:Enheduanna
174:pictograms
91:Bronze Age
38:, king of
1764:Cuneiform
1326:(SE Asia)
1256:Axe-money
1155:Microform
1049:Silk text
965:Parchment
922:Palm leaf
777:0028-0836
703:cite book
563:9 October
331:(such as
314:Babylonia
144:Scribes (
133:Mycenaean
122:libraries
87:cuneiform
1465:Currency
1443:Clearing
1423:Banknote
1418:Bailment
1338:(Arabia)
1299:(barley)
1285:Quachtli
1107:Notebook
1023:Tablets
1012:Geoglyph
990:Stamping
985:Intaglio
927:Borassus
910:Ola leaf
837:Enduring
785:33251962
478:cite web
440:44447973
432:00336381
406:(2000).
354:See also
337:MUL.APIN
209:Sumerian
178:logogram
110:reed pen
95:Iron Age
75:ṭuppu(m)
71:Akkadian
44:Marhashi
1516:General
1470:Deposit
1460:Coinage
1332:(Hindu)
1274:Manilla
1126:(baton)
981:Metals
939:Papyrus
826:Writing
757:Bibcode
528:1506830
215:at the
158:scribes
146:dub-sar
61:In the
1528:Barter
1487:Notary
1438:Cheque
1303:Shells
1297:Shekel
1270:(rice)
1160:Scroll
1076:Screen
970:Vellum
882:Betula
783:
775:
749:Nature
730:
691:
636:
526:
438:
430:
420:
297:, the
184:using
129:Minoan
102:stylus
36:Rimush
1718:Media
1409:Token
1400:Money
1336:Camel
1248:money
1124:Shaku
1102:Codex
1032:Slate
1007:Stone
934:Paper
851:Amate
781:S2CID
524:JSTOR
376:Slate
114:kilns
40:Akkad
1567:Mint
1405:Fiat
1291:Salt
1268:Koku
1165:Sign
1097:Book
828:and
773:ISSN
728:ISBN
709:link
689:ISBN
670:2010
634:ISBN
565:2015
484:link
470:2010
436:OCLC
428:LCCN
418:ISBN
335:and
293:The
237:The
118:clay
106:reed
65:,
48:Elam
1342:Yak
1330:Cow
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