The ancient civilization credited with the invention of writing is the Sumerians, who lived in what is now southern Iraq around 3500 BCE. They developed cuneiform script, a system of writing that used wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets. This invention marked a significant advancement in communication, administration, and record-keeping, laying the foundation for literature and complex societies. Cuneiform was initially used for economic transactions but eventually expanded to include diverse subjects such as law, literature, and medical knowledge, influencing subsequent civilizations in the region.