History of Mail
That's the question I was asking myself while watching the 2017 Netflix modernized version of Anne of Green Gables today. Why? Because, like Anne, I'm very curious like a cat. I love trying to understand the evolution and formation of inventions and everything. I want to know how things started and how they changed over time. Like a scientist, I like observing these things. They're very insightful. So, I'm always full of so many questions. That's why, when I'm writing, I'm all over the place like Anne, we are of kindred spirit. Today, I'm thinking about the evolution of mailing letters, envelopes, using stamps, and things related to communicating via mail, email, snail mail, word of mouth, the printing press, pigeons, etc, etc.
2019-04-06 - Saturday - 08:56 PM - History of Mail
2019-04-16 - Tuesday - 04:57 PM LMS- Published
Long ago, mail was spelled male until the 1600's and mail means bag of letters.
Egypt
2400 BC - Pharaohs used carrier service back with the oldest surviving Egyptian piece of mail dating back to 255 BC according to Wikipedia.
Persia
0550 BC - First credible claim for a real postal system comes from Persia.
India
0322 BC - 0185 BC - They had royal mail chariots.
China
0206 BC - 0220 AD - during the Xia or Shang dynasty.
Rome
0064 BC - 0014 AD - first well documented postal service.
Islam
They are credited for starting their barid mailing system which built itself on top of the Byzantine and Sassanids mailing systems. Since antiquities, people living near roads in the Middle East would generally help carry the luggage of soldiers according to their traditions. Some may have lent pack animals to assist.
Homing Pigeons
People used pigeons for transporting mail place to place since as far back as maybe 1150 AD in Baghdad. Thought Co. History of envelopes. History of stamps. Background check how-to.