Scribes History Presentation

1. The Importance of Scribes in Egypt
and Mesopotamia
Julia Sivers

2. Advice to Egyptian Scribes
13
th
-12
th
Centuries B.C.E

Ancient Mesopotamia & Egypt were the first cultures with a
written language.

Only a few people knew how to write, so each culture
designated scribes that were trained to write as a profession

The earliest writings include texts in which literate skills are
praised and in which youth learning to write are encouraged
to pursue the career of a scribe.

3. Advice to Egyptian Scribes
13
th
-12
th
Centuries B.C.E

Amunemone, the overseer of the record keepers of the
treasury of Pharaoh, spoke to the scribe Pentawere, after he
heard that he had abandoned writing.

Amunemone talked about how working in the fields was a
difficult and dangerous job, and reminded Pentawere of the
better life and superior status that belonged to all scribes of
the time.

4. Advice to The Youthful Scribe
13
th
-12
th
Centuries B.C.E

Young scribes would copy passages of advice in order to
practice their writing.

“O scribe, do not be idle, do not be idle, or you shall be curbed
straightway. Do not five your heart to pleasures, or you shall
fail. Write with your hand, recite wit your mouth, and
converse with those more knowledgeable than you...”

5. The Hardships of the Soldier's Life
13
th
-12
th
Centuries B.C.E

Young scribes would also copy passages about how the life of a
scribe is better than that of any other worker.

“What is it that you say they relate, that the soldier's is more
pleasant than the scribe's? Come, let me tell you the condition
of the soldier, that mush castigated one. He is brought while a
child to be confined in the camp. A searing beating is given his
body, an open wound inflicted on his eyebrows...”

6. Dialogue Between A Mesopotamian
Schoolboy and an Adult
18
th
Century B.C.E

Mesopotamian scribes, like Egyptian Scribes, were also well-
aware of there special status in society.

Students would copy passages to practice writing, such as this
one that was written in the Sumerian language.

“Adult: Young man, are you a student?

Schoolboy: Yes, I am a student.

Adult: I f you are a student, do you know Sumerian?

Schoolboy: Yes, I can speak Sumerian.

Adult: You are so young; how can you express yourself so well?...”

7. Examining the Evidence

What does the Mesopotamian student claim to have already mastered?

I n the Dialogue passage, the student claims to have mastered the Sumerian language.

According to these texts, why are scribes so important f or the proper f unctioning of
society?

Scribes were so important in society because they were the only people who had
the skill to record important events, documents, and taxes.

According to these documents, why is the lif e of a scribe superior to that of other
prof essions?

The lif e of the scribe was superior because scribes had a higher standing in
society and a lif e of very little physical labor.