I. Sumerian writing is generally regarded as the first written language. Tools included clay tablets and a wedged shapped stylus to produce writing. Over 200,000, many from city of Mari, have been preserved.
Sumerian literature is among the earliest known writings.
Literature was almost always religious oriented or a historical record of kings. O.T. Epic poem centered around the heroic tales of a great king. Epic is very similar to parts of the O.T. suggesting they were contemporary. Hammurabi's law code was the earliest known law code in existence. The code contained 282 laws.