HISTORY OF THE POST

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 95, 5 April 1934, Page 5

HISTORY OF THE POST

Exhibition in Cairo On the occasion of the tenth International Postal Congresses, recently opened in Cairo, the Egyptian Government organised a very comprehensive postal museum, which contains many items that have an interest beyond the Limits of this country, says a Cairo correspondent. Perhaps the most interesting exhibits are those showing what was done in ancient times. There you have a letter inscribed in hieroglyphics on elay, two thousand years ,8.C., and enclosed in a huge clay envelope. Nearby is one written ou a palm leaf. Another is inscribed on the bone of a camel, and yet another on the skin of an animal.

That postal organisation is by no means a modern thing is clearly indicated by the courier’s statement discovered at El Heiba and dating from 259 B.C. It gives full statistics of the letters received by the king, of those addressed to each of his courtiers aud ministers, the number of men employed in dealing with them, and the hours they worked daily. A. fascinating section is devoted to secret letters. The Romans used to shave the head of their messenger, write ou the skull the message they wanted conveyed, wait until the hair had begun to grow again, aud then despatch the messenger to his destination, where on arrival he submitted again to being shaved and knelt with bowed head before the addressee to deliver his message. The Spartans used what they called the Scytale stick. This consisted of a piece of leather wound round a stick the whole of its length. The message was inscribed on the leather, which was then unwound and sent to its destination, where it could only be read if wound round a stick of exactly the same proportions as the one used in the first instance.