Which civilization significantly influenced future societies with their writing systems?

The Sumerians are recognized for their significant contribution to the development of writing systems, particularly through the creation of cuneiform around 3500 BCE. This form of writing, which involved pressing a stylus into clay tablets to create wedge-shaped marks, lays the groundwork for many subsequent writing systems. The Sumerian writing not only facilitated record-keeping and administration but also enabled the documentation of literature, laws, and scientific knowledge, thereby influencing various aspects of future civilizations.

This early writing system had a far-reaching impact on cultures in the region and beyond, as it was adapted and modified by neighboring civilizations, including the Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians. The importance of writing in preserving culture, history, and administrative functions can be traced through the ages, showing how foundational the Sumerian advancements were to human civilization as a whole.

In contrast, while the other civilizations listed also developed forms of writing, such as the Maya's hieroglyphic system and the Aztecs' pictographs, the Sumerians' influence is particularly notable due to the early establishment of a writing system that inspired many cultures that followed. The Incas, on the other hand, used quipu (a system of knotted strings