Mysteries Department
Sign inRequest access
Evidence · Proto-cuneiform: the archaic texts of Uruk

Proponents of a Sumerian reading cite a handful of Uruk III sign uses as rebus spellings, which would push phonetic…

Proponents of a Sumerian reading cite a handful of Uruk III sign uses as rebus spellings, which would push phonetic use earlier than Archaic Ur.

Speculative0

What it means

Openunchanged
Answer this evidence bears onPhonetic spelling begins at Archaic Ur, c. 2900 BC
Counts against1 for, 1 against
Still possibleunchanged

Sources 3

Cite it

Mysteries Department. (2026). Proponents of a Sumerian reading cite a handful of Uruk III sign uses as rebus spellings, which would push phonetic… [Evidence EVD0DEE9GGPD7HF]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DEE9GGPD7HF
Private beta Downloads are for beta members

We're in a private beta while we get things right. Everything here is free to read; downloading datasets, sources and code is open to members for now.

It takes a couple of minutes. We'll reply by email.