The Ancient Egyptian Scribe

The scribe of ancient egypt was known as a sesh, or a person who was educated in writing. Scribes had to be able to write in hieroglyphs and hieratic script for formal writing; and in demotic script used for shorthand and in use of advertisements.

Two Egyptian Scribes taking notes

Scribes were brought up in scribal traditions, they were sent to school and upon entering civil service took the positions of their fathers. Scribes would often came from families of scribes as positions would be handed down. 

Statue of an Egyptian Scribe; Louvre, Paris

Scribes held posts that would record administrative and economic actions in egyptian life. They would also take notes on the erection of buildings and monuments. Much of what we know of Egyptian life comes from the notes that the scribes took on everyday life in Egypt and on the matters of state. 

Set of tools that an Egyptian Scribe would use