Ancient stone tablets show government red tape goes back 4,000 years, say scientists

Tablets found by the British Museum and Iraq government’s State Board of Antiquities and Heritage give a new insight into ancient civilisation - (Ellie Atkins/British Museum2023)

Red tape may feel like a modern-day frustration, but according to archaeologists, it's been a part of governance for millennia.

Evidence from ancient Mesopotamia reveals that bureaucratic systems were in place as far back as 4,000 years ago.