thumb|Many early post systems consisted of fixed courier routes. Here, a post house on a postal route in the 19th century Finland The practice of communication by written documents carried by an intermediary from one person or place to another almost certainly dates back nearly to the invention of writing. However, the development of formal postal systems occurred much later. The first documented use of an organized courier service for the dissemination of written documents is in Egypt, where Pharaohs used couriers to send out decrees throughout the territory of the state (2400 BCE). The earliest surviving piece of mail is also Egyptian, dating to 255 BCE.
thumb|Many early post systems consisted of fixed courier routes. Here, a post house on a postal route in the 19th century Finland The practice of communication by written documents carried by an intermediary from one person or place to another almost certainly dates back nearly to the invention of writing However, the development of formal postal systems occurred much later. The first documented use of an organized courier service for the dissemination of written documents is in Egypt, where Pharaohs used couriers to send out decrees throughout the territory of the state (2400 BCE). The earliest surviving piece of mail is also Egyptian, dating to 255 BCE.