The world’s oldest paycheck was cashed in beer

New Scientist has a great article about a recent archaeology finding that shows the world's oldest known paystub was paid in beer:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2094658-the-worlds-oldest-paycheck-was-cashed-in-beer/

You can also find the summary on Ars Technica:

http://arstechnica.com/science/2016...shows-that-ancient-workers-were-paid-in-beer/

In the ancient Mesopotamian city of Uruk, residents enjoyed many benefits of modern life. The city, located in modern-day Iraq, was home to massive ziggurats that would rival any of today's modern skyscrapers for sheer monumentality. People in Uruk exchanged goods for money, played board games, and sent each other letters on clay tablets using a writing system called cuneiform. They were also paid for their labor in beer. We know this because pay stubs were incredibly common documents at the time, and one such pay stub (pictured above) is now in the possession of the British Museum.