Birch tree ‘letter’ with a death wish found in Russia
The unknown author of the ancient letter wished the addressee to strangle himself.
The city of Veliky Novgorod in northwestern Russia is known for its unique ancient letters written on birch bark. They are dated back to the 11th-15th centuries.
One of the latest discoveries is a letter, which was given the serial number ‘1189’. It reads: “From Prokosha to Nechaev. Udovisya.”
Simply put, a certain man named Prokosha wished a certain Nechaev to kill himself via suffocation.
It is unknown what the addressee angered the author of the message.
Ancient Novgorod residents wrote on birch bark almost every day. Sometimes, they were romantic messages or simply some notes. People would send birch letters asking to repay a debt, while others corresponded about trade.
The language and style of these notes was usually very basic and plain, in contrast to the ornate book style of those times.
