Ancient Mesopotamians baked clay for permanent records
Ancient Mesopotamians fired clay tablets in kilns to create permanent records of laws, myths, and commerce, ensuring knowledge endured for thousands of years.
Around 3200 BCE, Mesopotamian scribes invented cuneiform writing on clay tablets. While many were sun-dried for temporary notes, crucial records like laws and epic literature were baked in kilns, much like pottery. This firing process hardened the clay, making tablets resistant to water, insects, and time, ensuring their survival for millennia.
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