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Dr. Strange Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 02:55 PM
Original message
World's oldest joke traced back to 1900 BC
LONDON (Reuters) - The world's oldest recorded joke has been traced back to 1900 BC and suggests toilet humor was as popular with the ancients as it is today.

It is a saying of the Sumerians, who lived in what is now southern Iraq and goes: "Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband's lap."
...
more at http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSKUA14785120080731?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews&rpc=408


Just underneath, a strange inscription was found: "Locking. Bodily Functions Papyrus."
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Arkansas Granny Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 02:57 PM
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1. And you're sure it didn't mention Brazillions, right?
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Pierre.Suave Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 02:57 PM
Response to Original message
2. but, right after that they found a small inscription...
Edited on Thu Jul-31-08 02:57 PM by jasonc
I found a picture of the inscription
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Dr. Strange Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 03:00 PM
Response to Reply #2
4. That piece of wisdom has been around for ages!
It dates back to mcctatas, Elder of the Cave People.
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Hugin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 03:00 PM
Response to Original message
3. I thought for sure it was the Brazilian joke...
Edited on Thu Jul-31-08 03:05 PM by Prag
I don't even -get- that, what are... What? A woman and a husband? :shrug:

Must be the translation... Bet it's hilarious in cuneiform. They must be roaring over there at the McSame camp.
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flvegan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 03:02 PM
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5. Thou dost not tutcheth the but.
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TZ Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 03:04 PM
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6. Well that surprises me
Its not a boob joke..I'm guessing your ancestry doesn't go back to ancient Sumeria does it....;-)
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Dr. Strange Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 03:07 PM
Response to Reply #6
7. But it may pass through Egypt:
A 1600 BC gag about a pharaoh, said to be King Snofru, comes second -- "How do you entertain a bored pharaoh? You sail a boatload of young women dressed only in fishing nets down the Nile and urge the pharaoh to go catch a fish."

:D
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MrCoffee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 03:07 PM
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8. If ripping ass was high comedy in ol' Sumer, I could have been the Dane Cook of Eridu
Edited on Thu Jul-31-08 03:07 PM by MrCoffee
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elshiva Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 03:12 PM
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9. Nothing about chickens crossing the road?
Fart jokes would be pretty old...
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Pierre.Suave Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 03:16 PM
Response to Reply #9
10. Maybe teh Chicken was...
Still thinking about it back then...
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NewJeffCT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 03:20 PM
Response to Original message
11. Was it written by John McCain?
just asking
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scheming daemons Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 03:38 PM
Response to Original message
12. I don't get it.

The joke is a double-negative.

Does it mean that all young women fart in their husband's lap? After all.. it basically says

NEVER did a young woman NOT fart in her husband's lap.



I'm guessing this joke didn't get the expected response in the Sumerian stand-up clubs.
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Hugin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 03:44 PM
Response to Reply #12
13. It may have moved the Mastodon Breaded Veal...
Isn't that what it's all about anyway?
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Dr. Strange Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 03:55 PM
Response to Reply #12
14. I think your interpretation is correct.
That all young women fart in their husband's laps. I think they even used that joke on "Married with Children."
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underpants Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 03:57 PM
Response to Reply #12
15. The Sumerians weren't really known for their wit
but apparently their record keeping was fantastic!
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madinmaryland Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 04:05 PM
Response to Original message
16. Something about the Mayans joking around about the leader of a brazilian tribe,
and how many that really was??
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Dr. Strange Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jul-31-08 04:10 PM
Response to Reply #16
17. Nice post, madinsumaria.
:rofl:
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