RE: the power of cryptography

[David Honig]

At 03:52 PM 2/12/00 -0500, Matthew Gream wrote:
>I make the assertion that 10000 years ago, locks and ciphers were not needed
>because at that time, society was not sufficiently constructed to need them.

Because you would know the thief and see him using your
stuff, 10K years ago.

Only when you get agriculture and settle down, grow
your population beyond what foraging supports, and
amass nonportable assets, you get locks.  You also
get government, and other diseases.  See 
Guns, Germs Steel by J. Diamond.