Cuneiform Cone
Maker
Maker/Artist from Sumer
Datec. 2100 BCE
PeriodSumerian
Place MadeTell el-Muqayyar (Ur), Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq, Asia
MediumClay
Dimensions17.5 x 6.1 x 6.2 cm (6 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 7/16 in.)
Credit LineGift of Drs. John and Bessie Sawhill
Object number76.1.199
On View
Not on viewCollections
Label TextWriting was invented around 3300 BCE, meaning that these are some of the earliest surviving examples of texts in the world. The earliest forms of writing were pictograms, later abstracted into the wedge-shaped cuneiform you see here. At least fifteen different languages were written in cuneiform, which was used from the Mediterranean coast of Syria to western Iran, from northern Anatolia (Turkey) to southern Iraq between the third millennium BCE and the second century CE.
While the oldest pieces of literature in the world – the poetry of priestess Enheduanna and the epic of Gilgamesh – were written in Sumerian in cuneiform, writing was first created as administrative technology, to document contracts and transactions. It was soon used for other purposes. For example, votive cones were buried in walls and floors beneath important buildings during construction to sanctify the site and create a historical record. Hidden from view, they were meant to be found during later restorations – like time capsules.
Most of the information about our objects comes from original files, which we are currently reviewing. As such, some of the language may reflect past attitudes and practices that are not acceptable. The Madison Art Collection does not condone the use of offensive or harmful language and does not endorse any of the views reflected in outdated documents. We are committed to an approach that is inclusive and respectful, and we wish to correct language that may be harmful or inaccurate. If you have suggestions, please email us at madisonart@jmu.edu.