Ancient history

How did Babylonians keep records?

The Babylonians were some of the earliest people to develop a system of writing, which they used for a variety of purposes, including keeping records. The Babylonian writing system was called cuneiform, and it was based on the use of wedge-shaped marks made on clay tablets.

Clay tablets were made from a mixture of clay and water, which was then rolled out into thin sheets and dried in the sun. Once the tablets were dry, they were inscribed with cuneiform characters using a stylus, a sharp-pointed instrument. The characters were made by pressing the stylus into the clay, creating wedge-shaped marks.

The Babylonians used a complex system of cuneiform characters, with each character representing a syllable, a word, or a phrase. The characters were arranged in columns and rows, and the tablets were often inscribed on both sides.

The Babylonians used clay tablets to record a wide variety of information, including laws, contracts, business transactions, historical events, and religious texts. The tablets were often stored in libraries or archives, where they could be accessed by scholars, scribes, and other officials.

The Babylonian system of writing and record keeping was very sophisticated for its time, and it allowed the Babylonians to develop a complex civilization with a rich history and culture.