For an article and some training on databases, I'm interested if we have identified the earliest example of data organized in tabular form. I'm not talking about electronic tables, but rather early written tables that have recognizable rows and columns (a simple list isn't enough). I could envision, for instance, some tablet recovered from some Greek ruin that indicated taxes paid by citizens per month, or some kind of ledger indicating quantities of goods imported by a list of ships.
Do we know the earliest existing example of tabular data?
Some of the earliest, instantly recognizable tables are papyrus administrative records from Old Kingdom Egypt (2682-2181 BC). The scrolls from the funeral complex at Abusir are particularly well-preserved. This one describes the goods offered at King Neferirkare's temple, who gave them, and when. They date from the early-mid 25th century BC, since the king died in 2460.
If you are working in Databases you already know that there are innumerable ways to present data. Because of this there are many possible answers to your question.
A Sumerian tablet from 3200-3000 B.C. has data for delivery of barley and malt to make beer. But that might not be what you are looking for.
The Egyptian tables on papyrus mentioned by CommodoreCoCo may be closer to what you want.
The first grid type x/y axis tables would go back to Mesopotamia beginning around 1850 BC. These would be your first example of what would look like a modern spreadsheet.
The first known use of a database to represent compiled data. Rather than just record it would be Eusebius who compiled a chronology using Greek, Roman, Persian and Hebrew sources. By doing this he was able to make a relatively accurate timeline showing how the separate timelines overlapped and contradicted each other. The original of this work would date from about 310 AD.
The first known graphical depiction of data points is from approximately 1000 AD and shows the movement of the planets as a function of time.
The first known use of visual data points in a graph with nontrivial positioning dates to 1644 In a graph showing distance to Rome by Michael Florent van Langren.
Check out these great papers for more information
Warning PDF
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
Exploring the Origins of Tables for Information Visualization