Researchers from the University of Bologna have uncovered a connection between proto-cuneiform writing and ancient stone images engraved on cylinder seals dating back to around 3000 B.C.
Scientists believe that the roots of writing are hidden in the images found on ancient stone cylinder seals from Uruk, a significant city in Mesopotamia.
It is thought that the early writing system emerged in this region, in what is now modern-day Iraq, around the 3rd millennium B.C. Known as cuneiform, this script represented both sounds and meanings. It was preceded by a simpler system—proto-cuneiform—used between 3350 and 3000 B.C., as reported by Arkeonews.
What Did the Researchers Discover?
The study, the findings of which were published in the journal Antiquity, demonstrates a link between proto-cuneiform signs that first appeared in Uruk around 3000 B.C. and images engraved on seals, some of which are nearly 6000 years old.
The seals, which hold the key to the origins of writing, were small stone cylinders with intricate carvings. Starting in the mid-4th millennium B.C., they were rolled over clay tablets, leaving an impression as a result.
“The conceptual leap that allowed for the transition from symbolism to actual writing is a fundamental achievement of humanity,” noted Silvia Ferrara, a professor of classical philology and the lead author of the study. “The results of this research serve as a bridge between prehistory and history; they show how some images from the prehistoric era were incorporated into one of the first writing systems invented by humans,” the scholar added.
Professor Ferrara and her team identified a number of recurring themes on these seals. They were particularly related to the transportation of textiles and ceramics. The fact that these themes are also present in proto-cuneiform suggests that the ancient seals may have directly influenced the development of the writing system.
As noted by study co-authors Katherine Kelly and Mattia Cartolano, the evolution of the images on the seals coincided with the early urban and economic development of Mesopotamia, culminating in the emergence of writing itself.