The ancient civilization known for its use of cuneiform writing is Mesopotamia. This writing system emerged around 3400 BCE in ancient Sumer, which was located in present-day Iraq. Cuneiform was initially created for record-keeping, particularly for trade and administrative purposes. Over time, it evolved into a complex script used to document various aspects of life, including literature, law, and history. It involved pressing a stylus into soft clay tablets, creating wedge-shaped marks that represented syllables and ideas. Cuneiform is one of the earliest known writing systems and played a pivotal role in the development of human communication and record-keeping.