Communication has been a very crucial aspect of our lives since ancient times. From the tiniest of animals, like ants, to the most complex, like human beings, most social creatures communicate with each other in myriad ways. Do you like to hear birds chirping? I am sure many of us know that some of those sweet melodies are actually mating calls. The need to connect with fellow human beings and pass on ideas and information led to the development of languages, followed by scripts. Speech originated over 102,000 years ago (as sources suggest). Due to the imperfections in speech and language during these times, symbolic expression of thoughts and ideas came into existence in the form of cave paintings. The oldest known cave painting (over 64,000 years old) can be found in Maltravieso Cave, Cáceres, Spain. Cave paintings morphed into petroglyphs, succeeded by the introduction of pictograms, which evolved into ideograms, and finally, various forms of contemporary writing systems were invented around the Bronze Age (3300 BC), leading to the possibility of transferring one person's written word to another person without having to be in the physical presence of each other. Passing on messages and ideas to one another, across time or distance, was made possible with the advent of writing. Over time, the world grew smaller and barriers broke down, as means of relaying information and messages became increasingly efficient and fast-paced. Imagine having to visit your aunt, who lives thousands of miles across the sea, to be able to say just a word, as compared to how quickly one can send a message in the modern world, with the help of a Muggle internet connection. In this column, let us discuss the transition of one of the most valuable means of communication, that of letter-writing or mail, into its present, most advanced form.

The first-ever letter was sent around 500 BC by the Persian Queen Atossa, according to the ancient historian Hellanicus. Although no record of its contents is available, it is believed that the letter was written when Queen Atossa was 50 years old. The luxury of communication across large distances through letter-writing, whether political or personal, became a very valuable asset for relaying information quickly or to multiple places at once, resulting in effective governance of empires. Therefore, it is no surprise that the earliest historical references to postal systems were about those in successful cultures and efficiently governed empires, like in Egypt in around 2000 BC and in the Chou dynasty in China in around 1000 BC. The first ever postal system was developed in China under the Mongol emperors. Posthouses were built through which messengers relayed the information. A similar system was also seen in the 6th century BC in the great Persian Empire of Cyrus. These systems were hugely praised by the Greek historians Herodotus and Xenophon in their writings. In the empire of Greece itself, although each city-state had its own corps of messengers, the numerous political divisions within their land inhibited the growth of a coherent postal system. Later, as Rome expanded into a vast empire from a mere city-state, the need for quick and reliable means of communication for a better and more interconnected government led to the formation of the "cursus publicus", the most highly developed postal system of the ancient world. The messengers of the "cursus publicus" were known to travel at unrivalled speeds of more than 170 miles (270 kilometres) in a day and a night. They formed an integral part of Rome's complex military and administrative system, and a lot of effort was put into maintaining the postal system and keeping it free of abuse for private interests. Even after the downfall of the Roman Empire in the west during the 5th century, the "cursus publicus" continued to hold its position of importance in the eyes of the subsequent Barbarian rulers such as Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths, and the Carolingians, though the organization of the postal system was somewhat downregulated. The Roman postal system finally disappeared completely when the roads in Rome went out of maintenance, in addition to the progressive political fragmentation of Europe. However, the vestiges of the "cursus publicus" fared better in the Byzantine Empire, where it eventually became a crucial means of communication for the Islamic Empire in the form of a similar Arabian postal system based in Baghdad.

The Pre-Columbian civilizations of America also relied on a postal system limited to foot messengers to relay their messages. Posthouses at frequent intervals served the Inca Empire and the Mayan Civilization.

In the Middle Ages, the hub of mail delivery shifted from governing bodies to guilds of merchants and traders, with the rising political instability being unable to nurture a postal system. Some trading corporations made use of messenger systems to keep contacts with their customers. Others were able to combine the delivery of letters along with the natural need for long-distance travel for trading purposes. One notable example of such messenger systems was the so-called Butcher Post (Metzger Post). The most extensive and regular postal system of this period was, however, provided by the mercantile corporations of Italy, who particularly ensured that the links between great Italian commercial centres, such as Florence, Genoa, and Siena, and six important annual fairs held in the Champagne area of northern France were carefully regulated and well-maintained from the mid-13th century. Two fixed dispatches of mail were made to each of these six fairs; the first carried orders and commissions, and the second brought effect settlements. Merchants all over Europe attended these fairs, making them the crux of international message relaying.

Courier delivery with the help of horses and drivers fetched great popularity in the 13th century in Russia. The system made use of regular staging posts where horses and drivers were kept and came to be known as the "carriage express". It gradually morphed into an organized mail delivery service over the years.

Institutional postal systems that conveyed private mail between personal relations, for a substantial fee, developed during the later Middle Ages, however, it enjoyed minimal popularity because of the small size of the literate population.

The creation of Gutenberg’s printing press in 1450 and the rise in education reinforced the growth of improved postal services and exchange of personal letters became more and more commonplace, turning mail delivery into a profitable business. Postal organizations and courier services cropped up everywhere, and the government monopoly slowly gave way to private mail delivery systems due to the increasing demand. The most famous and extensive of such systems, by far, was built up by the Thurn and Taxis family, who originally came from Bergamo near Milan, Italy. They possessed an extensive network of postal routes, and their services were utilized on a humongous scale under the patronage of the Habsburg emperors. The Thurn and Taxis family's postal system flourished and developed throughout the 16th century until it covered most of Europe, using 20,000 couriers to operate their highly profitable, speedy, and efficient mail delivery business. Following the trend, many royal families in different parts of the world continued to benefit from postal services and incorporated postal systems within their nobility and imperial regimes. In France, King Louis XI set up a Royal Postal Service in 1477 employing 230 mounted couriers. In England, King Henry VIII appointed a Master of the Posts to run a mail delivery system along the principal roads from London in disparate directions. However, these were mostly limited to royal letters and mails and were not meant for the public. Although the security and regularity afforded by the courier system in England resulted in unofficial private correspondences being frequently carried through it, the fiscal benefits of allowing the passage of private mail were only realized later and legalized in about 1600. Post offices meant for the public were first established in the larger cities in 1627 with fees and timetables fixed. A royal proclamation created a separate public service with the intention of carrying public mail and parcels in 1635 to provide a day and night postal system in Britain, headed by a London merchant, Thomas Witherings.

In 1672, France declared postal services to be a state monopoly under which operating rights were sold, eventually forcing private messenger systems out of business.

Over time, the need to cover longer distances effectively for faster-paced communication grew and culminated in the development of airmail for faster delivery of letters and parcels. The first network of pigeon messengers is thought to have been created in Assyria and Persia by Cyrus the Great in the 5th century BC. Ever since, these birds relayed several politically and historically important messages such as those in 2000 BC to warring groups in Mesopotamia, Hannibal’s dispatches in 53 BC, and those of Julius Caesar during the conquest of Gaul from 58 to 51 BC. Indian and Arab merchants used carrier pigeons when visiting China. Pigeons were trusted as the harbingers of victory messages to the families of athletes at the first Olympic Games, held in 776 BC. If the athlete won the event, a homing pigeon from his village would take the great news back. Between 63 BC – AD 21, the Greek geographer Strabo noted the flight of pigeons along the Mediterranean coastline to send word of the arrival of fish shoals among local fishermen. Paul Julius Reuter’s news agency Reuters in the 1840s employed pigeons in disseminating news, only replaced by the telegram when it was invented in 1837. In 1870, pigeons were entrusted with messages throughout France during the siege of Paris. The first commercial airmail using pigeons was established in 1896 in New Zealand and was known as the Pigeon-Gram Service. It had an average speed of 77.6 miles per hour, only 40% slower than a modern aircraft. Each pigeon carried up to five letters with special Pigeon-Gram stamps that were sold. The use of pigeons as a method of communication received extensive traction in the Intelligence Service during the First World War. Pigeon mail carriers were commonplace to the extent that German marksmen were deployed to shoot the birds down. Pigeons were carried in tanks and released through tiny portholes in the side. Mine-sweeping boats had pigeons among their crew so that in the event of an attack by a U-boat, a pigeon could be released with a message confirming the exact location of the sinking boat, often resulting in the crew being saved. They were also taken along in seaplanes to help relay urgent information about the enemy's movements. Two Pigeon Corps, consisting of 15 pigeon stations each with 4 birds and a handler, served on the Western Front, at the start of the First Great War. Messages would be put into a small canister and then attached to the pigeon’s leg. The bird would be released and would return to its loft behind allied lines, sounding a bell to confirm that it had landed. Pigeons continued to enjoy incredible recognition in the mail service worldwide even during the Second World War, their services being actively used in Europe, India, and Burma. Their extensive employment in delivering mail was not limited to wars. They served an essential purpose during two natural disasters in India: the massive cyclone in 1971 and the unprecedented floods in 1982, saving multiple human lives by providing daily communications between 400 police stations in the state of Orissa in India. This was partly due to their ability to fly in adverse weather conditions. Balloon posts carried airmail in the 18th century, although for the most part, were only used for souvenir mail, owing to the difficulty of handling balloons. Balloons were replaced by airships, but much success with airmail was not accrued even then. Only later, in the early decades of the 20th century, when the aeroplane was crafted by the Wright Brothers did airmail truly come into existence, and rapidly rise to the greatest heights of preference due to the unparalleled speed of delivery. The compact aerogram, introduced in Britain during World War II for military personnel, remains the most practical and inexpensive form of airmail for individual correspondence till date.

While the post office remained the pioneer organization for mail delivery for ages, making major use of most mail-carrying transport systems such as the stagecoach, steamboat, the short-lived Pony Express, etc; as they developed, railway mail service saw the most success as the dominant form of mail conveyance well into the 20th century prior to being replaced by airmail in modern days.

Along with means of delivery of letters and parcels, the content of post also changed over the decades. From carrying personal correspondences and royal edicts, communication and expression as well as transporting material from one person or place to another has come a long way, taking up several forms such as money order services, parcel posts, and shipped goods from business owners that can be paid online or by cash on delivery. 

The most groundbreaking development in the modern mail-carrying system occurred just last year. Orkney I-Port operation, a joint initiative of drone technology company Skyports and British communication system Royal Mail, was started to improve the quality of courier service and reduce wait times in the remote islands of Hoy and Graemsay in the Atlantic. The Orkney group of Islands, off the northeastern coast of Scotland, was chosen as the three-month-testing ground due to its unique geography and proximity, making it the first place in the UK to offer drone mail delivery. The head of Royal Mail’s drone trials, Chris Paxton, and the project director at Skyports Drone Services, Alex Brown, highlighted the positive impact of using drones to carry mail. The most recent advancements, electric drones, can overcome obstacles like bad weather and remote locations, ensuring faster and more efficient package delivery. The drones, such as the Speedbird Aero DLV-2, can carry up to 6 kilograms of mail. Drones, by themselves, however, have existed in a varied range of roles for a much longer period of time. It is thought that the term 'drone' was inspired by the name of the model DH.82B Queen Bee of a number of radio-controlled aircraft, also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), used as targets for training purposes by the British in 1935 during the inter-war period. Other pilotless aircraft used during these pre-war trials had similar names, such as that of Kettering Bug, an American aerial torpedo which first flew in October 1918. Who had thought that these military drones would one day be carrying mail to remote regions in the world through unfavourable weather conditions?

The introduction of drones has truly revolutionized mail delivery systems around the world. 

From pigeons to drones, the ease of communication through mail has brought the world closer, and kept humankind together in a tight-knit embrace despite barriers posed by distance, geographical differences, topographical obstacles, climatic conditions, and to some extent, even time-zones.