The Link between Cylinder Seals and Proto-Cuneiform
Researchers from the have discovered a direct correlation between the designs on ancient cylinder seals and the signs in proto-cuneiform script, suggesting a significant influence on the development of writing in .
This groundbreaking study, published in Antiquity, reveals how the imagery on cylinder seals, used for trade and accounting, evolved into the proto-cuneiform signs used in early writing, marking a pivotal transition from prehistory to history.
Implications for Understanding Early Writing Systems
The findings provide new insights into the evolution of symbolic and writing systems, highlighting the continuity between preliterate seal designs and the early writing used for accounting and administrative purposes in Uruk.
This research opens up new avenues for deciphering undeciphered proto-cuneiform signs and understanding the cognitive leap from pre-writing symbolism to one of the earliest writing systems in human history.