Which civilization is associated with the development of cuneiform?

• A. Mesopotamia
• B. Indus Valley
• C. Maya
• D. Egypt

Answer: (A)

Cuneiform is the earliest known writing system, developed in Mesopotamia by the Sumerians around 3400–3000 BCE. It began as pictographs recorded on clay tablets for practical needs like keeping track of goods, trade, and administration. Scribes pressed a reed into damp clay to make wedge-shaped marks, and over time these signs became standardized, durable writing. This system spread with Mesopotamian powers such as Akkad, Babylonia, and Assyria, making it a hallmark of that region.

The other civilizations listed developed different scripts: the Indus Valley had its own script with yet-to-be-decoded signs, the Maya created a complex glyphic system in the Americas, and ancient Egypt used hieroglyphs and later hieratic/demotic scripts. None of these are cuneiform, which is specifically tied to Mesopotamia.