The main purpose of writing in ancient Mesopotamia was to record and manage information. The Sumerians, who were the inventors of writing, developed a system of cuneiform script to keep records of economic transactions, legal matters, historical events, and religious rituals. This system was used by subsequent civilizations in Mesopotamia and the surrounding regions for over 3000 years. Written documents played a crucial role in the administration and management of the complex societies that emerged in ancient Mesopotamia, including the city-states of Sumer and Akkad and the later Babylonian and Assyrian empires.