This message, written on a papyrus found in the ruins of Thebes, in Egypt, was translated into English by a journalist, James Playsted Wood, author of The Story of Advertising, published in 1958.

1. The first known
written advertisement
is more than three
thousand years old!
Translations in English, French, Italian & Spanish
Jean-Marie Le Ray (2015)

2. “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.”
Translation in English (first printed advertisement in the world)

3. This message, written on a papyrus found in the
ruins of Thebes, in Egypt, was translated into English
by a journalist, James Playsted Wood, author of The
Story of Advertising, published in 1958.

4. Currently, this papyrus should be preserved in the British
Museum, even if I found in an international comparative study,
entitled “History of advertising in Japan, 701-1867”, this
statement by one of the authors:
“The original poster on papyrus is said to have been kept in a
British Museum in London. Since I wanted to take a picture of the
original, I asked the museum for the reference of it many times.
However, their answer has always been that there is no such
ducument in a British Museum. The whereabouts of the poster is
still in a fog.”
Also, the same author said about the translation of the message:
“The original text of The Story of Advertising mentions "gold"
twice. However, this seems to be a mistake because a money
economy was not developed in Egypt at that time.”
HISTORY OF ADVERTISING IN JAPAN, 701-1867
AN INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE STUDY
Toshio Yamaki, Tokyo Keizai University
Kikuko Fukatsu, University of Iowa

5. « L’esclave Shem s’est enfui de chez son
patron, Hapu le tisserand. Tous les bons
citoyens de Thèbes sont invités à
retrouver le fugitif. Il s’agit d’un Hittite,
de cinq pieds de haut, robuste et aux
yeux bruns. Une demi-pièce d’or sera
offerte pour toute information sur le sort
de l’individu. À quiconque le ramènera
à la tente de Hapu, le tisserand, où sont
tissées les plus belles étoffes au goût de
tous, une pièce d’or sera remise »
Translation in French (la plus ancienne publicité du monde)

6. “Dopo essere stato abbandonato dal suo
schiavo, Shem, il datore di lavoro,
Hapu il tessitore, invita tutti i buoni
cittadini di Tebe ad aiutare a trovarlo.
L'ittita è alto cinque piedi, è di
corporatura robusta ed ha occhi
castani. Egli [il tessitore] offre un pezzo
d'oro a chi fornisce informazioni su
dove si trovi, a chi lo consegnerà alla
tenda di Hapu, il tessitore, dove si
tessono le stoffe più belle di tutta Tebe
secondo i gusti di ognuno”.
Translation in Italian (la pubblicità più antica del mondo)

7. “Habiendo huido el esclavo Shem de su
patrono Hapu, el tejedor, éste invita a
todos los buenos ciudadanos de Tebas a
encontrarle. Es un hitita, de cinco pies de
alto, de robusta complexión y ojos
castaños. Se ofrece media pieza de oro a
quien de información acerca de su
paradero. A quien lo devuelva a la tienda
de Hapu, el tejedor, donde se tejen las más
hermosas telas al gusto de cada uno, se le
entregará una pieza de oro”.
Translation in Spanish (el anuncio más antiguo del mundo)