Ancient Notepads (2022)
Ancient Egyptians were believers in “reduce, reuse, and recycle.” This is demonstrated by the 18,000 shards of broken pottery used as “notepads” called ostraca. It datesto the late Ptolomaic period, around 81 to 51 BCE. The ostraca, uncovered by archaeologists in 2022 was covered in mundane, everyday notes. It held shopping lists, trade records, writing practice, school work, even ancient doodles. It was cheaper and more readily available than papyrus. Researchers believe it is the largest collection of ostraca found in Egypt. Interestingly, they’ve discovered a “bird alphabet,” where, according to Egyptologist Christian Leitz, “each letter was assigned a bird whose name began with that letter.”