(thing) by scytale Wed May 17 2000 at 20:25:17

A scytale is the oldest know encryption device. It involved two cylinders of exactly the same dimensions. The user would wrap a piece of paper or parchment, or whatever in a spiral around one of the cylinders and write a message across it down the length of the cylinder. That message could then be read by anyone who had the second, identical cylinder.

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