The ancient society known for its contribution of cuneiform writing is Sumer, located in what is now southern Iraq. Sumerians developed cuneiform around 3200 BCE as one of the world's first writing systems, using reed styluses to create wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets. This writing method significantly impacted record-keeping, administration, and literary expression. It allowed for the documentation of laws, trade transactions, and stories, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh. Cuneiform laid the groundwork for subsequent writing systems in Mesopotamia and played a crucial role in the development of human civilization in terms of communication and cultural transmission.