Конечно, в древнем мире были свои «семейные» застолья. Во многих культурах старшие собирались у очага или на площади и пересказывали истории, вплетая их в песни, мифы и простые рассказы, понятные всем. Часто эти истории рассказывали перед едой или во время праздников, чтобы младшее поколение знало одни и те же предания, те же ценности и те же полезные знания – и все это без книг. По сути, тот же принцип – сохранять прошлое через рассказывание историй, только в другом масштабе и с другим темпом.

I agree, it’s almost like a living archive that keeps growing. In ancient times they had similar rituals—sometimes a quiet evening by a fire, sometimes a larger communal gathering. The elders would pause, take a breath, and let the next generation ask questions. I find it fascinating how those stories were structured to allow the younger ones to ask, “What does that mean?” and then the elder would add details until the whole group understood. It’s a very deliberate, almost methodical way to ensure nobody is left out. And because the storytelling was interactive, it kept the memory fresh, which is why even today we see the same pattern in family gatherings. It’s almost as if the stories themselves were little books we carried, and we had to read them with our own hands.