Unopened 17th century mail sheds light on everyday life

A 17th century postmaster's case full of undelivered letters has been rediscovered in The Hague Museum for Communications' archive. Scientists have started examining the letters and will hopefully soon be able to shed more light on every day life in the 17th century, with all the gossip, intrigue and scandal it entails. The letters will be studied by the international research team Signed, Sealed & Undelivered, led by David van der Linden of the University of Groningen and Nadine Akkerman from the Leiden University. Van der Linden believes that these letters will shed light on the lives of ordinary people in the 17th century, especially Huguenot families on the run. We call it letterlocking: folding and securing letters so that no one could secretly read it", Van der Linden explained.