Writing board of an apprentice scribe

First Intermediate Period

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 109

It is clear from the awkwardly formed hieroglyphs and their uneven spacing that this is the work of an apprentice scribe who was practicing his penmanship. The writing board could be used again and again by scraping or wiping off the ink and adding a new coat of whitewash. Another writing board in the collection shows corrections made in red ink.

Writing board of an apprentice scribe, Wood, whitewash, ink

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Writing board of an apprentice scribe, Wood, whitewash, ink
Writing board of an apprentice scribe, Wood, whitewash, ink

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