This is old as dirt, because it IS dirt. This is a macro of a Cuneiform specimen I got about 15 years ago. Cuneiform is among the earliest forms of written communication, from the "Fertile Crescent" area of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (present day Iraq). The earliest forms are around 5,000 years old. This specimen is about 4,000 years old. They would form tablets of clay (large ones are usually about 5 or 6 inches across), cut a reed from the river bank which had a wedge shaped stalk, and press characters into the wet clay before putting it out in the sun to bake. This particular one is a receipt acknowledging the donation of some goats and sheep to a local temple. Talk about keeping tax records a long time! (5 years and 2821 days ago)
Great and a wonderful description too, I would probably loose some of the black, perhaps about 1/2.
Thanks for your comment, and suggestion. I think you were right. I've re-cropped it, and hope it looks better now.
Definitely better, my grandson saw your title and suggested I upload a photo of myself.
Guess who didn't get a chocolate biscuit when he wanted one, LOL.
LOL... I like your grandson!
We used to tell people that we'd try and count the candles on my mother's birthday cake to find out how old she was, but the heat drove us back! 
Maybe you could sneak him a chocolate cookie from me. 
Hey, good author, how about trading this for the full collection of LPs and/or CDs of Valentino Liberace, or that of Gary Glitter for that matter? Unique item, also well captured.
Howdie stranger!
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