It seems that sending postcards during tourist trips was a custom that did not wait for the invention of modern postal services. Indeed, the British Library reveals that she hasa piece of papyrus on which a certain Nearchus wrote in Greek the account of one of his journeys. These inscriptions date from the Iis or IIe century AD and were probably traced in the MiddleEgypt. They were intended to be read by Nearchus’ friend named Heliodorus. The author of the map tells him that, like other tourists who travel by boat on and the Nilehe too decided to sail on this river to the city of Syene (now Aswan) where, according to his writings, there was a large tourist market.
He then headed to theoasis Siwa, near the border with Libya, where there was a sanctuary dedicated to the god Amon. Néarque relates that he received oracles “very promising” and that he engraved the names of all his friends on the mur of the sanctuary in order to preserve its memory forever.
