Cuneiform, the oldest identified writing system, defied deciphering – until 1857. What happened then makes a terrific read, ...

including what seem to be early alphabetic symbols inscribed on several Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets dating from the 18th-16th centuries CE, suggested “a northern Levantine context for the ...

Beyond her academic work, Moudhy has also been a prominent figure on social media because of her fascinating translations of the first form of writing known as cuneiform.

This writing system was in use for more than 30 centuries and was finally replaced by alphabetic writing during the Roman era. It was not until 1857 that the decipherment of cuneiform was completed.

which may have influenced Mesopotamian cuneiform. The proto-Sinaitic script was widely thought to be the oldest alphabet, Steele said, but the new discovery at Umm el-Marra challenged this idea.

found in the ruins of Nimrud (present-day Iraq). These tablets, dating to the 7th century BCE, represent the first material evidence of cuneiform writing on wax. The tablets ...

Photograph of proto-cuneiform tablet showing signs discussed in the article. (Colour image of drawing of Fig. 4 in the article - Ref_ Englund 1994 ATU 5_ pl. 71).

This writing system was in use for more than 30 centuries and was finally replaced by alphabetic writing during the Roman era. It was not until 1857 that the decipherment of cuneiform was completed.