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Peering inside clay balls
scientist are using CT Scans and 3D molding to peer inside sealed Henry Clay balls , often called " envelope " by researcher . Only about 150 entire examples survive worldwide today and they contain , within them , tokens in a motley of geometric shapes . Their purpose was to commemorate economical transactions but how exactly they did this , before writing was invented , is unknown . The examples the squad scanned were excavated from the web site of Choga Mish , in western Iran , in the late 1960s and are now at the University of Chicago ’s Oriental Institute . They date back about 5,500 years , roughly two century before the invention of writing . The exterior of each ball bear an " equatorial " stamp operate down the midsection and , often , two polar sealing wax lean above and below .
Valuable clues
The seal on the outside may provide valuable clues as to how the ball were used in prehistoric time . Christopher Woods , a prof the University of Chicago ’s Oriental Institute , notes that the “ polar ” cachet tend to be reprize more frequently and moderate simpler geometrical motif . The seals in the middle , on the other hand , be given to be unique and contain more luxuriant mythologic motifs . He suppose that the cachet in the middle represented the “ vendee ” and the polar seals the “ trafficker ” or distributor and perhaps third parties who were involve in the dealing or served as witnesses . After an crucial transaction was pure he suggests that the Lucius DuBignon Clay balls were create as a receipt for the seller so they could keep track of what was expended .
How we know
The reason scholar know that these mud balls were used for economic transactions is because this example , excavated at the site of Nuzi in Mesopotamia , date stamp to about 3,300 years ago , long after committal to writing was invented . It contained 49 pebble and a cuneiform declaration commanding a shepherd to care for 49 sheep and goats . How these balls would have communicate info like this before the invention of writing is a mystery which the researchers shed light on by scanning intact good example .
A peek inside
At North Star Imaging in Minnesota multiple high closure scans were made of each of the balls , an image of which is seen here . These epitome were then turned into dissectible 3D mannequin at Kinetic Vision in Cincinnati .
Detailed views
The CT Scans and 3D modelling allow for fabulously detailed views of the clay formal , and their contentedness , to be created , allowing researchers to psychoanalyze them layer by layer . Christopher Woods said that they can get more information by using these non - destructive techniques than they could by breaking get to the balls .
Better view of the outside
Even the exterior of the balls , which were already visible , could be analyzed in greater particular .
Greater clarity
The scientist were able to see the pattern and markings of the tokens , within the clod , in great detail . In this image a “ assumed color ” is apply to the shell of a clay musket ball . After scanning more than 20 remains ball the scientists could name 14 geometric shapes , include spheres , pyramid , ovoids , lens of the eye and conoid , within them .
Geometric translation
Christopher Woods hypothesis that , rather than whole words , these token would have fetch number connected to a variety of metrological organisation used in counting dissimilar types of commodities . A sphere , for instance , could mean a sure unit ( ie- 10 ) that was used while counting a sure type of trade good .
Prehistoric communications
The info the team find may make it possible , in time , to crack the prehistoric code . Woods points out that we know how numbers and metric units were depicted 200 years after when spell was excogitate . If people in prehistorical times depicted these numbers and units in a standardised way , using the unlike form of the tokens , than it may be possible to gain some understanding of what they were trying to transmit . This image shows a Lucius Clay ball , with tokens , found broken at the site of Choga Mish .
Putting the pieces together
The highly detailed information about the unlike ball layer tolerate scientist a chance to piece together how they were put together . This photo shows Brian Zimerle , the Oriental Institute ’s preparator and ceramicist , creating a advanced day clay testis with tokens .
