Seated Egyptian Scribe Ornament

An ornament depicting a seated ancient Egyptian scribe.

The ornament is part of a range accompanying the British Museum exhibition Hieroglyphs: unlocking ancient Egypt.  

This intriguing ornament is made in Egypt.

In ancient Egypt, the only people permitted to learn how to read and write were known as scribes. This intriguing replica shows a scribe sat cross-legged. Written along the front of the statues base are a series of hieroglyphic symbols; one of the ancient Egyptian written alphabets.

Scribes enjoyed a leading place in the administration of ancient Egypt. A young scribe would undertake training and a subsequent exam, after which he was qualified to join the administration, and was granted a reed and a palette. Scribes came from any social class and were required to have a wide range of skills and personal abilities, which would help them climb the ranks of public office.

A handsome home ornament for a lover of Egyptology.