The ancient culture known for cuneiform as a system of writing is Mesopotamian civilization, particularly the Sumerians of ancient Mesopotamia. Cuneiform, which means "wedge-shaped," originated around 3200 BCE and involved pressing a stylus into soft clay tablets to create distinctive wedge-shaped marks. This writing system was initially used for record-keeping, administrative purposes, and later evolved to include literature, laws, and poetry. The development of cuneiform marked a significant advancement in human communication and administration, greatly influencing future writing systems and facilitating the documentation of human history.