Monday, September 30, 2024

In today’s History newsletter, we explore a century-old riddle, examine the pre-Taylor Swift history of friendship bracelets, ride the shrinking Mississippi ... and learn new genetic connections to breast cancer.

PHOTOGRAPH BY SCALA, FLORENCE

Half-buried when it was discovered in an underground room in Crete, a golden-brown clay disk, the size of a hand, may hold the keys to an ancient alphabet.   

But the 3,700-year-old disk is one of archaeology's greatest enigmas, its code unbroken in more than a century. Will modern technology be able to decipher the meaning of its 45 different figurative signs and 240-plus characters? 

Related: AI just deciphered part of an ‘unreadable’ ancient scroll. Here’s what it says. 
Also: Mummies are behind this discovery: What’s in the world’s oldest cheese?

PHOTOGRAPH BY AMY TOENSING

PHOTOGRAPH BY SARAH PABST, THE NEW YORK TIMES/ REDUX 

Way before Taylor Swift: Obviously, friendship is important to humans, and our ancestors swapped locks of hair or bright plastic beads for thousands of years. Can you guess the roots of fabric friendship bracelets in the U.S.? 

A. Minoan civilizations on Crete 
B. Early Christian sects 
C. A 10th Century Norse poem 
D. Ancient Maya weavers 

Related: Asking for a friend’s help is actually really good for you, according to science

Today’s Soundtrack: Soledad y el Mar, Natalia Lafourcade 

Today’s newsletter was curated and edited by David Beard and produced by Alec Egamov. Missed yesterday’s Photo of the Week? Here it is. And consider signing up for free next editions.