We dont know what these early names sounded like because there was no method to record sounds.
Writing would not be invented until very late in human historyabout 5,500 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia.
The Sumerians were the first to develop a script to record information.
To its left is a brick building with a chimney, probably a brewery.
The quantity involved is marked above the picture.
To the left is the time period involved, marked by 3 circular holes and seven small depressions.
Taken together, the record probably reads: 29,086 measures of barley received over 37 months.
They form the word KU-SIM.
If this is the case, Kushim could be the first name we know from history.
Kushims name appears on 18 separate tablets from this period.
He was probably responsible for the production and storage of barley.
However, the reverse could also be interpreted as Kushim’s account.
), while showing different kinds of beer as output on the reverse side.
One tablet shows Kushim providing 14,712 liters of barley to four officials, for which they were properly discharged.
The tablet begins Two slaves held by Gal-saland is then followed by their names:En-pap X and Sukkalgir.
His name was Iry-Hor and he was King of Upper Egypt in the pre-dynastic period.
Some Egyptologists believe that Iry-Hor also controlled parts of the Nile Delta.
Iry-Hor is now believed to be the Egypts oldest king that we know of, predating the dynastic pharaohs.
The fascinating thing about the name Kushim is that it is still used in Russia, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.
Kushim is also the 910,230th most widespread first name in the world.
