Pictographic writing is a form of visual communication that uses symbols or images to represent objects, ideas, or concepts. This type of writing is one of the earliest forms of recorded language, often found in ancient cultures. For example, the Egyptian hieroglyphs and Sumerian cuneiform both utilized pictographs to convey meaning, allowing people to document events, trade, and religious practices. In pictographic writing, each symbol typically corresponds to a specific word or idea, making it easier for people to understand messages without needing a shared spoken language. Over time, many pictographic systems evolved into more complex writing forms, such as alphabetic writing, which uses letters to represent sounds rather than whole ideas.