The merchant hands a clay sphere envelope to a courier. Clay sphere envelope, you say? Why yes- a clay sphere envelope. And the merchant reminds the courier to be careful with the sphere and make sure it gets to the fishmonger without incident.
They are standing in the thoroughfare of an Ancient Sumerian city built on the banks of the Euphrates River. The year is 2037 BC and the clay sphere in question is one of the first manifestations of what today we’d refer to as a paycheck. Financial tokens were taken and placed in rolled out clay, which was then molded into a spherical shape and baked until hard and sealed. Thus the first sealed letters were born. Each one would be stamped with personalized symbols acting as the equivalent of a return address. The courier takes the sphere from the merchant and runs off to go find the fishmonger.
Having been born in the lush river valleys of the Fertile Crescent, a region often referred to as The Cradle of Civilization, the envelope can certainly be said to have stood the test of time. This is one of those very ancient concepts that we still see every single day. The ability to send sealed correspondence- whether it contains a financial compensation or a state secret or a confession of the heart- has long been a cornerstone of human interaction.
The fishmonger looks up and smiles as the courier approaches. Out of breath, the courier hands over the clay sphere and the fishmonger thanks him. As we all know- it’s nice to get paid for our hard work.
Print Shoppe understands the significance of payment where payment is due. And so we also understand the significance of a good quality envelope. In manufacturing envelopes for our clients, we exercise the care and attention that your sensitive documents deserve.
