The oldest written language known to man is Sumerian. Originating in ancient Mesopotamia, particularly in the region of Sumer around 3100 BCE, Sumerian is unique in that it is a language isolate, meaning it has no known relatives or descendants. The Sumerians developed cuneiform writing, inscribing symbols on clay tablets to record transactions, stories, and administrative details. This early form of writing evolved and became a crucial method of communication and record-keeping in various ancient civilizations. Sumerian eventually fell out of everyday use, replaced by Akkadian, but it remained a language of scholarship and liturgy for centuries.