The Sumerians, who lived in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq and Kuwait) around 3500-3000 BCE, are widely regarded as the earliest civilization on Earth to have developed a form of writing, science, and mathematics. They are credited with inventing the earliest known writing system called cuneiform. Cuneiform script consisted of wedge-shaped marks made on clay tablets using a reed stylus. This system enabled the Sumerians to record various aspects of their society, such as laws, literature, religious texts, and economic transactions.
In terms of science, the Sumerians made significant contributions to various fields. They developed a sophisticated understanding of astronomy and created one of the earliest known astronomical catalogs, known as the Mul.Apin tablets, which contained information about celestial bodies and their movements. They also developed a mathematical system based on the sexagesimal (base 60) numeral system, which is still used today to measure time and angles. The Sumerians used this numerical system for calculations, such as measuring areas and volumes, and for solving equations.
Furthermore, the Sumerians had a highly advanced society with organized city-states, complex irrigation systems, monumental architecture (such as ziggurats), and a diverse range of professions and social classes. Their civilization laid the foundation for many subsequent cultures in the ancient Near East and influenced various aspects of human development, including writing, science, and mathematics.