Before the invention of modern coinage, ancient Mesopotamians used standardized clay tokens to record financial transactions, debt obligations, and agricultural inventories as early as 8000 BC.

A closer look

Before the invention of modern coinage, ancient Mesopotamians used standardized clay tokens to record financial transactions, debt obligations, and agricultural inventories as early as 8000 BC. These little geometric shapes were sealed inside hollow clay balls called bullae, acting essentially as the world's first secure corporate spreadsheets. If there was a dispute over a shipment of barley or sheep, merchants would smash the clay ball open to verify the original token count. This means that the entire concept of written language and mathematics essentially evolved because ancient landlords and merchants needed a reliable way to make sure nobody was dodging their taxes or shortchanging them on goats. Human civilization did not invent writing to compose beautiful poetry or record profound philosophical thoughts, we literally invented it to send aggressively passive-aggressive billing invoices to our neighbors!