Which near eastern societies invented writing?

The earliest known writing systems were developed by the Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia around 3200 BCE, using cuneiform script. Simultaneously, the Egyptians developed hieroglyphics around 3100 BCE. Other Near Eastern societies, such as the Hittites and Phoenicians, later contributed to the evolution of writing systems, but Sumerians and Egyptians are credited with the invention of writing itself.