Cuneiform inscription, 7th-6th century BC. This clay tablet fragment contains part of the ancient Akkadian flood story, often called Atra-hasis. The tablet dates from the Neo-Babylonian or Achaemenid period in around the 7th to 6th century BC. The script on this clay tablet is called cuneiform and was written with a pointed implement. When fired the records written on the clay became permanent. This object is part of the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA.