Long before our thumbs got the workout of a lifetime from sending winking faces and tiny pizzas, ancient Egyptian scribes were hard at work on the world’s first emoji revolution. It turns out, those meticulous papyrus letters weren’t just full of dignified hieroglyphics. They often ended with a dash of doodled personality. Forget about plain old “Farewell.” True papyrus pros knew you closed a letter with a laughing scarab or a jaunty falcon giving the most enthusiastic thumbs-up this side of the Nile.
These delightful sign-offs weren’t just idle amusements. In the buzzing world of Egypt’s written communication, a well-placed giggling beetle or an approving bird made it clear your letter was meant in good spirits. Hieroglyphic historians now believe the ancient postal system actually delivered mail faster if your papyrus included particularly charming bug art at the end.
The scarab, already the celebrity of the insect kingdom, was famous for its “uplifted legs” pose, a sort of cross between a joyful giggle and an ancient fist pump. Friends receiving these notes knew instantly that their correspondent was in high spirits, or perhaps just showing off their doodling skills.
Meanwhile, the thumbs-up falcon took Egyptian greetings to new heights, quite literally. Scribbled with the precision of royal jewelers, these bird emojis squawked approval, encouragement, or a gentle reminder to bring more figs to the next house party. Some bird enthusiasts claim the falcons even started a friendly rivalry with the cats, who preferred a more sophisticated “tail swirl” flourish.
Despite papyrus now being outpaced by pixels, we owe our modern smiley faces, hearts, and dancing bananas to these playful pioneers. The sands of time may have hidden many of these ancient winks and nods, but archaeologists are convinced that somewhere out there, a yet-undiscovered papyrus features the world’s first “crying laughing” cobra.
So, next time you send a smiley to a friend, tip your metaphorical quill to Egypt’s original bug and bird enthusiasts. Whether thousands of years ago or yesterday, a happy doodle always makes the message sweeter, especially if there’s a giggling beetle involved.
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