General features of writing and education in the civilizations of ancient Iraq

Abstract

In their various ancient civilizations, the Iraqis had a major role in advancing knowledge and sciences. Perhaps the most important invention presented to humanity is writing and its development. Writing helped in the spread and multiplication of sciences, as the brilliance of the civilization of the Mesopotamia Valley in arithmetic, engineering, astronomy, medicine, and chemistry emerged. It is noted that these sciences did not arise in the embrace of private institutes and schools but rather arose through observation and human experiences at that time of what he saw and tried to interpret. The invention of writing represented a revolution in ancient Iraq, and schools were then established to teach this language and develop it alongside other knowledge. Educational institutions at that time had a major impact, whether on individuals or the institutions of ancient Iraqi society.

The environment in ancient Iraq played an important role in the invention of writing, as the basic material for recording was clay tablets, and the pen used in writing was derived from the land of Iraq. Cuneiform writing in its early stages, i.e. pictorial writing, expressed what the Iraqi individual saw in his environment. The family contributed greatly to preparing its children to go to schools and learn, as it was similar to a miniature school. The emergence of schools in Mesopotamia and their development was linked to the invention of writing, in addition to the contribution of priests in the education process and teaching lessons to learners, as most schools were attached to temples and under the supervision of priests in the first place, as the school was not isolated from the home, but rather both institutions tried to coordinate their efforts to raise and educate children, a situation that still exists even in contemporary societies.