The writing is cuneiform script (<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Cuneiform_script" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Cuneiform_script</a>), they were created by a wedge on wet clay. I guess our writing would appear as peculiar to ancient eyes :-)<p>For a general and short introduction to cuneiform I would suggest <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;Cuneiform-Reading-Past-C-Walker&#x2F;dp&#x2F;0520061152" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.amazon.com&#x2F;Cuneiform-Reading-Past-C-Walker&#x2F;dp&#x2F;052...</a> (other books in the Reading The Past series are excellent, too).<p>Or, if you&#x27;re interested in other type of ancient writing in general, there&#x27;s a nice Mayan Hieroglyph workbook online (pdf: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.famsi.org&#x2F;mayawriting&#x2F;hopkins&#x2F;MayaGlyphWritingWrkBk.pdf" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.famsi.org&#x2F;mayawriting&#x2F;hopkins&#x2F;MayaGlyphWritingWrk...</a>). It&#x27;s a great way to waste an afternoon!