Did you know that people used all kinds of ingenious ways to communicate in the past?
1. Drum Telegraphs
In places where there are forests that make visibility difficult, drum telegraphy was developed as a means of communication. This was introduced by the natives of Africa, New Guinea and tropical America. When scientists on expeditions came to the jungle to explore the forest, the natives would pound on their drums to signal that strangers were approaching.
In ancient China, people used the “tamtam” as a communication tool. This was a big, free hanging circular plate of metal. Hitting the plate created a far-reaching sound.
2. Carrier Torch Fire Signals
In ancient Greece and Rome, fire signals were given from mountain to mountain or from tower to tower. The Greek poet Aischylos, a soldier in the fight of Marathon, describes a “fire post” in one of his poems. This was probably the first line of sight transmission in the world. It is said that with this system the fall of Troja was reported to Argos.
3. Pigeons
Carrier pigeons, with their navigational abilities, have been used for communication in numerous forms. From 700 BC to 300 AD they were used in the Olympic games. A black check cock carrier pigeon named Cher Ami was awarded the French Croix De Guerre medal for delivering 12 messages in World War 1. His duty included delivering a message that helped the U.S. Army locate its “Lost Battalion”. The message was delivered despite the bird being shot by enemy fire.
4. Optical Telegraph
The first optical telegraph was invented during the French Revolution. The chaotic situation made a new communication system necessary. Civilian Claude Chappe, a former priest, invented a mechanical-optical telegraph. It consisted of a column with a moveable crosswise beam. This beam also had two movable arms. With ropes it was possible to show many different signal pictures. The equipment stood on rooftops or towers and was visible from afar.
The first telegraph line of this kind was put into operation in 1794. The telegraph line consisted of 22 stations and covered a distance of over 240 kilometers. It took only two to six minutes to transfer a message, couriers riding horses would have needed 30 hours!
5. Marathon Run
This was one exhausting way of relaying messages between the war front and the palace court during battles. In September 490 BC, a terrible battle was going on at the coast of the Aegean Sea, near the town of Marathon. The small Greek army fought against the stronger Persian army and finally, the Greeks won. The leader of the Greek army sent a courier with the message of victory back to Athens. After the messenger had completed the more than a 10 kilometers long run and reached the streets of Athens, he collapsed with the words, “Be glad! We are the winners!” and died on the spot!