Written text is an object (cont.)

• A Cuneiform tablet is a physical object

• • Temporary texts could be written on soft (unfired) clay
  • Firing the clay made the text permanent

• Commerce required text object to travel with trade goods

• • E.g. bill of lading
  • 75% of documents from major sites (e.g. Uruk) were economic

• Authentication (e.g. a seal) is required to identify the sender