Who and when did handwriting begin?

Handwriting began with the development of writing systems, which emerged around 3200 BCE in ancient Mesopotamia with cuneiform script. This early form of writing was primarily used for record-keeping and communication. Other ancient cultures, such as the Egyptians with hieroglyphs and the Chinese with oracle bone script, also developed their own systems of writing around the same period. Handwriting as a personal skill evolved over the centuries as these writing systems became more complex and widespread.