From: The Oldest Known Customer Complaint Found on Mesopotamia’s Clay Tablet [1750 BC]
The oldest known customer complaint gives us an insight into trade and commerce. Copper ingots were necessary for creating bronze and it seems that the goods provided were not of high enough quality.
It talks about messengers being used to communicate between both parties and how they have to travel through dangerous territory. There is some form of money involved, though it probably wasn't in the form of coins. A mina is a unit of weight and money can take different forms besides currency (coins and notes). There's also a mention of the administrative function of a temple where some kind of contracts are stored. In these societies religious institutions had various functions besides worship.
When you came, you said to me as follows: “I will give Gimil-Sin (when he comes) fine quality copper ingots.” You left then but you did not do what you promised me. You put ingots which were not good before my messenger (Sit-Sin) and said: “If you want to take them, take them; if you do not want to take them, go away!”
What do you take me for, that you treat somebody like me with such contempt? I have sent as messengers gentlemen like ourselves to collect the bag with my money (deposited with you) but you have treated me with contempt by sending them back to me empty-handed several times, and that through enemy territory.
Is there anyone among the merchants who trade with Telmun who has treated me in this way? You alone treat my messenger with contempt! On account of that one (trifling) mina of silver which I owe(?) you, you feel free to speak in such a way, while I have given to the palace on your behalf 1,080 pounds of copper, and Sumi-abum has likewise given 1,080 pounds of copper, apart from what we both have had written on a sealed tablet to be kept in the temple of Shamash.
How have you treated me for that copper? You have withheld my money bag from me in enemy territory; it is now up to you to restore (my money) to me in full.
Take cognisance that (from now on) I will not accept here any copper from you that is not of fine quality. I shall (from now on) select and take the ingots individually in my own yard, and I shall exercise against you my right of rejection because you have treated me with contempt.
The article also points out that the letter was dictated to a scribe. It starts with "Tell Ea-Nasir: Nanni sends the following message". Remember that literacy is rare in these times, so scribes have an important function in society.
From: You will be Surprised by Knowing the Visa process in Mesopotamia A visa request and request for protection from the king. Why was the message so urgent?
A message to all the kings of Canaan, the subjects of my brother(the King of Egypt).
Thus (says) the King (of Mitanni):
I am sending herewith my messenger Akiya to the King of Egypt, my brother, on an urgent mission (traveling as fast) as a demon. Nobody must detain him. Bring him safely into Egypt! (There) they should take him to an Egyptian border official And nobody should for any reason lay hand on him.
A request for protection from the king. Who is Yanbamu and how can he be stopped from terrorising and blackmailing the people in the area? Again, the Shekel was initially a unit of weight before it became a type of currency.
Your Majesty should know of the deed which Yanbamu has done to me since I left Your Majesty’s presence. Now he demands of me 2,000 shekels of silver, saying: “Hand over to me your wife and your children or I will slay you!” The king should know about this deed. Would that Your Majesty dispatch here the chariotry and take me under his protection; otherwise, I am lost.
Asking for justice and pleading ignorance of dealings with brigands. What crime was this person accused of and why did Milkilu get away with no punishment? Who are these brigands and what were they doing working together with Dumuya?
I have heard the message that the king has sent me; who am I that the king should lose his land on account of me? If it pleases my lord, I am a loyal servant of the king and not disloyal or rebellious. Also, I do not withhold my tribute, nor do I withhold what the regent who is set over me demands of me. Really, people are slandering me; the damage has been done to me, yet Your Majesty has not investigated my (alleged) crime. If any, this, then, is my crime that I declared publicly when I entered the city of Gazri: “The king has taken away all I possess, but where are Milkilu’s possessions? Yet I know that Milkilu’s misdeed (is worse) than mine!”
Now to another matter: As to the king’s writing to me about Dumuya: I did not know that Dumuya used to consort with the Hapiru-brigands; wouldn’t I have handed him over to Addaya (if I had known)?
Informing the king that they are doing their best to send a caravan but it's a dangerous undertaking. Why was his brother nearly killed? Why is sending a caravan dangerous?
If it pleases Your Majesty, I am the servant of the king: I have tried to have the caravans assembled by my brother but he was nearly slain, so the caravans for Your Majesty cannot possibly be dispatched. Do ask the regent whom you installed whether my brother was not nearly slain. On the other hand, please, all our eyes also my eyes are upon you; everywhere our lives are in your hands, whether we go up to heaven or descend into the netherworld. Now I am still trying to have assembled here by a friend of mine the caravans for Your Majesty. Your Majesty may be assured that I am serving the king and that I am doing my duty.
The sale of an administrative position. How did Kebsi get into debt? What are the benefits that come with holding this office?
The text on the stele reports the sale of the office of governor of El-Kab from a man called Kebsi to a relative called Sobeknakht (Ancient Egyptian official of the Second Intermediate Period). It seems that Kebsi contracted a significant debt of 60 gold Deben ( one Deben was equal to about 91 g ) towards Sobeknakht and not having the possibility to pay.
Kebsi decided to sell his office to Sobeknakht who would become the new governor of El-Kab, with all the benefits that this charge entailed.
All the documents necessary for the transaction were brought to the Vizier (Highest official in ancient Egypt to serve the pharaoh during the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms) who checked Kebsi’s genealogy in order to confirm that he was indeed the heir of the office.
The Vizier confirmed that Kebsi heard of the office of governor of El-Kab. The whole process was sealed in the Vizier’s quarters with the participation of witnesses, whereupon Sobeknakht received the rights to the office.
From: 3300-year-old Stele Reveals Well Drilling Event In Egypt’s Desert
The king orders a well to be dug so that workers can mine for gold in the inhospitable desert.
One fine day, His Majesty, who sat on the throne ( behedu ) of Electrum and appeared with the dried headband and the two feathers, began to think of the countries from which gold is brought and reflect on the purpose of drilling
wells on difficult roads due to (lack of) water, after hearing: “There is a lot of gold in the Akayta region, but its route is extremely difficult because of (the lack of water. If
His Majesty then replied to these greats: “It’s absolutely right, whatever you say, my subjects. Water has not been extracted from this country since the time of the god, as you (they) say. I’m going to drill a well there to give water every day like in [Upper and Lower Egypt where the river flows (?)]
[… Sovereign, my lord…, everything happened in accordance with] what Your Majesty had said with his own mouth. Water came out twelve cubits, to a depth of four cubits
What do you think of these texts? Do they give you any ideas for scenarios and adventures? Do any of the situations in these texts surprise you? Let me know in the comments.
