A 3500-year-old clay tablet covered in ancient writing has been translated in Turkey – and what it says is surprising.

The tablet, which measures just 4.2cm by 3.5cm, and is 1.6cm thick, its thickness of 1.6 cm and its weight of 27.85 grams, was found during restoration work after an earthquake hit the historical city of Alalakh.

It is covered in a form of Akkadian cuneiform writing, one of the earliest known written human languages.

As for what it says – well, Turkish researchers have determined it’s a shopping list.

Specifically, translated lines detail the purchase of a “large” amount of wooden tables, chairs and stools, presumably from a trip to a Bronze Age Ikea.

“We believe that this tablet, weighing 28 grams, will provide a new perspective in terms of understanding the economic structure and state system of the Late Bronze Age,” Turkish culture and tourism minister Mehmet Ersoy said in a translated statement.

Source: https://www.nine.com.au/

Full article: https://www.9news.com.au/national/ancient-tablet-revealed-to-be-shopping-list-for-furniture-turkey/3e9bcf7d-4baa-4ba5-8e97-d6b667cd63b0