Elements of Composition

Abstract

The scribes of ancient Egypt were among the earliest groups of writers. They held a special place in the culture of that time, serving as the conduit for information, both mundane and sacred. Excavation of the cities of artisans who constructed the temples and tombs of the pharoahs has revealed a mixture of letters, prayers, shopping lists, contracts, and general messages among people of the time. The scribes were not, I imagine, writing for readers 3500 years later. However, scholars now use those shopping lists and contracts to understand ancient Egyptians better and, by inference, understand ourselves.