<p>According to James Playsted Wood, <a href="https://isidore.co/calibre/#panel=book_details&amp;book_id=10038" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>The Story of Advertising</em></a> <a href="https://archive.org/details/storyofadvertisi0000jame/page/n26/mode/2up" rel="nofollow noreferrer">p. 26</a>, the oldest recorded advertisement (3,000 years old),</p>
<blockquote>
<p>discovered by an archeologist delving in the ruins of Thebes, has been held up as the first known written advertisement. Inscribed on papyrus, it read: The man-slave, Shem, having run away from his good master, Hapu the Weaver, all good citizens of Thebes are enjoined to help return him. He is a Hittite, 5’ 2” tall, of ruddy complexion and brown eyes. For news of his whereabouts half a gold coin is offered. And for his return to the shop of Hapu the Weaver, where the best cloth is woven to your desires, a whole gold coin is offered.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So advertising predates capitalism by at least few millennia. The book I got this tidbit from is a nice source for history of advertising.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-31T09:28:15.060Z
2024-11-14T16:57:53.100Z
2024-11-14T16:57:53.100Z
Ezekiel
<p>What is the history of advertising? Is it the product of capitalism and the industrial revolution? What is a canonical source on the history of advertising?</p>

<reference-request><economic-history><history><advertising>
Is advertising the product of capitalism / Industrial Revolution?
Geremia
# Is advertising the product of capitalism / Industrial Revolution?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-10-28)

What is the history of advertising? Is it the product of capitalism and the industrial revolution? What is a canonical source on the history of advertising?

**Tags:** reference-request, economic-history, history, advertising

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-10-31. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

According to James Playsted Wood, [*The Story of Advertising*](https://isidore.co/calibre/#panel=book_details&book_id=10038) [p. 26](https://archive.org/details/storyofadvertisi0000jame/page/n26/mode/2up), the oldest recorded advertisement (3,000 years old),

> discovered by an archeologist delving in the ruins of Thebes, has been held up as the first known written advertisement. Inscribed on papyrus, it read: The man-slave, Shem, having run away from his good master, Hapu the Weaver, all good citizens of Thebes are enjoined to help return him. He is a Hittite, 5’ 2” tall, of ruddy complexion and brown eyes. For news of his whereabouts half a gold coin is offered. And for his return to the shop of Hapu the Weaver, where the best cloth is woven to your desires, a whole gold coin is offered.

So advertising predates capitalism by at least few millennia. The book I got this tidbit from is a nice source for history of advertising.


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