Early writing

Picture writing was invented in Mesopotamia before 3,000 BC. This clay tablet, dating to about 3,100 BC, has written on it a list of rations. It shows how writing was developing from using pictures to using the wedge-shaped characters known as 'cuneiform'.

The first identifiable written language is Sumerian, which is unrelated to any modern language. By 2,400 BC, cuneiform had been adapted for writing Akkadian, and later was used for writing Assyrian and Babylonian; these are all Semitic languages, as are present-day Arabic and Hebrew.

Cuneiform continued to be adapted for writing the languages of Mesopotamia's neighbours, such as Hittite and Old Persian, and was used into the first century AD. In more recent times it was deciphered in the 19th century, so that administrative, mathematical, historical, astronomical and school texts, omens, epics, letters and dictionaries can now be read by modern scholars. There are around 130,000 tablets in the British Museum.

Hands on History: Ancient Britain

• Travel back in time toAncient Britain and create your own stone circle.

Hands on History: Roman Britain

• Eric (voiced by Daniel Roche) visitsRoman Britain, where he lives a life of privilege.