Ancient Egyptian Scribes: A Cultural Exploration

Hardback

Main Details

Title Ancient Egyptian Scribes: A Cultural Exploration
Authors and Contributors      By (author) Hana Navratilova
By (author) Niv Allon
SeriesBloomsbury Egyptology
Physical Properties
Format:Hardback
Pages:216
Dimensions(mm): Height 234,Width 156
Category/GenreAfrican history
Egyptian archaeology and Egyptology
ISBN/Barcode 9781472583956
ClassificationsDewey:932
Audience
Professional & Vocational
Tertiary Education (US: College)
Illustrations 10 bw illus

Publishing Details

Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint Bloomsbury Academic
Publication Date 18 May 2017
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

The modern view of the ancient Egyptian world is often through the lens of a scribe: the trained, schooled, literate individual who was present at many levels of Egyptian society, from a local accountant to the highest echelons of society. And yet, despite the wealth of information the scribes left us, we know relatively little about what underpinned their world, about their mentality and about their everyday life. Tracing ten key biographies, Ancient Egyptian Scribes examines how these figures kept both the administrative life and cultural memory of Egypt running. These are the Egyptians who ran the state and formed the supposedly meritocratic system of local administration and government. Case studies look at accountants, draughtsmen, scribes with military and dynastic roles, the authors of graffiti and literati who interacted in different ways with Pharaohs and other leaders. Assuming no previous knowledge of ancient Egypt, the various roles and identities of the scribes are presented in a concise and accessible way, offering structured information on their cultural identity and self-presentation, and providing readers with an insight into the making of Egyptian written culture.

Author Biography

Niv Allon is Assistant Curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA. Hana Navratilova is an egyptologist and author of The Visitors' Graffiti of Dynasties XVIII and XIX in Abusir and Northern Saqqara (2007).

Reviews

An accessible volume, with some illustration, and a must-read for those interested in the lives of the ancient Egyptian 'literati'. * Ancient Egypt * This monograph provides a valuable nuancing of our understanding of the scribe's role in Egyptian society. After a brief introduction and a prologue outlining the mechanics of writing in ancient Egypt, the bulk of the volume consists of ten chapters that are each biographies of "scribal" individuals of the New Kingdom. The individuals at the core of the study represent the broadest possible cross-section of scribal culture, including royals and artists alongside more traditional examples of scribal administrators. In this way, Allon and Navratilova explore the often conflicting uses of the term "scribe" in the context of elite self-presentation. * Bryn Mawr Classical Review * A successful and entertaining presentation of ancient Egyptian literary experts. As an introduction it provides added value for students and also for the interested general reader. * Orientalistische Literaturzeitung (Bloomsbury Translation) * A remarkable study of what it meant to be a scribe in ancient Egypt created by examining the records and monuments left by those who embraced the title. By investigating ten ancient lives, this work guides the contemporary reader through the many nuances of being a scribe - a member of the literate elite - in ancient Egypt. * Gerry D. Scott, Director of American Research Center in Egypt, Cairo * Allon and Navratilova take readers on a New Kingdom journey, unrolling the lives of ten iconic Egyptians to reveal the true individuals between the lines and their elusive office. An absolute must-read. * Massimiliano S. Pinarello, Honorary Lecturer of Egyptian Archaeology, UCL, UK *