A 3,500-year-old Receipt Was Discovered and It's a Surprisingly Relatable Purchase

What was daily life like 3,500 years ago? The vast period separating us makes it feel like a different world — and it was — but humans still need all the same basic things for survival today as they did at the dawn of humanity. A new archaeological find in Turkey sheds light on what shopping was like when the land there was part of the Akkadian Empire. 

The Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Ersoy, announced the discovery of the ancient clay tablet believed to be the world's oldest sales receipt. Although linguists are still deciphering it, the first few lines indicate this could be a monumental find in understanding the economics of the ancient world. 

Extravagant archaeological finds of the rich or powerful often grab more public attention but rarely shed light on where the average person was financially. Finding a receipt that shows relatable and "normal" purchases that are still relevant today connects us to the past more meaningfully. So, what was on this spectacularly average receipt? 

The receipt is a small clay tablet that is still being translated and deciphered, but the first few lines describe the sale and purchase of wooden furniture: chairs, tables, and stools. How many? The exact amount hasn't been released, but it's large. 

Who would need a large number of tables and seating options? The first thing likely to spring to mind is some eating establishment, which would be a fascinating look into ancient restaurants. 

We all want to know how ancient furniture prices compare to what we pay today, but it doesn't seem that information has been determined yet. A rough translation of the official press release from Turkish sounds like linguists are debating the numbers found on the clay tablet receipt. 

Translating ancient text isn't always a straightforward process and can often require cultural knowledge for context. Think of it like trying to figure out the difference between a "butt-dial" and a "booty-call" when you've never seen a cell phone. 

Modern receipts can seem useless unless you believe you may need to prove the purchase later, but there are several apps that pay for copies of receipts. Having a large amount of data about what people are buying is useful for market research. 

While we all want to know how furniture prices compare to ancient times, that is only a tiny piece of economic information that might be unlocked from translating this cuneiform receipt. It could also answer questions about whether a credit system was in use and what financing options the Akkadian Empire had. 

Whatever information is extracted, it's important to remember that the same sort of information can be extracted from modern-day receipts, which causes some to be concerned about how exactly online shopping and data privacy mix in the digital landscape.