Cuneiform Writing (Britannica Kids)

What is cuneiform?

• A language

• A writing system

• A civilization

• A tool

What does the term 'cuneiform' mean?

• Ancient

• Wedge-shaped

• Linear

• Standardized

Which ancient civilization used cuneiform writing?

• Egyptians

• Chinese

• Sumerians

• Greeks

What did the symbols in cuneiform represent?

• Sounds

• Words

• Pictures

• Ideas

Which group of people adopted cuneiform after the Sumerians?

• Akkadians

• Babylonians

• Assyrians

• Hittites

Where did the expansion of cuneiform writing begin?

• Mesopotamia

• Iran

• Asia Minor

• Middle East

What led to the decline of cuneiform writing?

• Competition from alphabetic systems

• Lack of materials

• Loss of interest

• Invasion by other civilizations

Which language became common in the area when cuneiform was used less?

• Aramaic

• Phoenician

• Greek

• Hebrew

Who kept the writing form of cuneiform alive until the 1st century AD?

• Priests

• Scholars

• Merchants

• Warriors

What was the main reason for the disappearance of cuneiform?

• Lack of interest

• Invasion by other civilizations

• Nonalphabetic nature

• Loss of materials