The culture credited with developing cuneiform writing is the Sumerians, who resided in ancient Mesopotamia. Emerging around 3500 BCE, cuneiform initially represented pictograms, evolving into a system of wedge-shaped marks made on clay tablets using a stylus. This writing system was pivotal for administrative, commercial, and literary purposes, allowing Sumerians to document transactions, record laws, and produce some of the world's earliest known literature, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh. Cuneiform's adoption by various Mesopotamian civilizations made it one of the first writing systems, influencing communication and record-keeping throughout the region.