Summary:
- The origins of the world's earliest writing system can be traced back to symbols used on seals in ancient Mesopotamian trade networks.
- Researchers analyzed thousands of clay seal impressions from archaeological sites in modern-day Iraq, dating back to around 3300 BCE, and found that these seals were used to mark goods and containers in trade.
- The development of these symbolic seals eventually led to the emergence of the cuneiform writing system, one of the earliest known writing systems in human history.