Keeping accounts in the bronze age

The transition from proto-writing to the earliest fully developed writing systems took place in the late 4th to early 3rd millennium BCE in the Fertile Crescent. The Kish tablet, dated to 3500 BCE, reflects the stage of "proto-cuneiform", when what would become the cuneiform script of Sumerwas still in the proto-writing stage. By the end of the 4th millennium BCE, this symbol system had evolved into a method of keeping accounts, using a round-shaped stylus impressed into soft clay at different angles for recording numbers. This was gradually augmented with pictographic writing using a sharp stylus to indicate what was being counted. The transitional stage to a writing system proper takes place in the Jemdet Nasr period (31st to 30th centuries BCE).

Boldface is mine.

But note that keeping accounts seems to be coincident with early text.   Prior to this should be barter, but keeping accounts would not be associated with barter. Keeping accounts is about fiat money.

Once the traders keep clay tablets with inventory marks, they have term structure, they have accounts payable and receivable. Most of the accounts ties to shipments, or to the value added of the shopkeeper.  What makes these accounts have a denominational algebra is the standardization of transportation in cities.  Thus the standardization of account marks is determined by the container algebra, the number of units held in one standard wagon load.  Buying by the 'case' becomes normative, the accounts adopt a matching quantization.