Hieroglyphics are an inherent part of Egyptian civilization, even though only a handful of people mastered them. Photo by S. Zdziebłowski
Posted on 04/01/2014 2:28:22 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Could all the pharaohs read and write? Only 1-3 percent of the inhabitants of ancient Egypt mastered this exceptionally difficult art. Evidence of literacy of the rulers of Egypt are perhaps not numerous, but clear, argues Filip Taterka, Egyptologist, a doctoral student at the Institute of Prehistory, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.
In ancient Egypt, there were several types of handwriting. Currently, the best known are classical hieroglyphics, carved in stone on the walls of temples and tombs...
As it turns out, Egyptian written sources tell us very little about the literacy of the kings of Egypt. Poznań scientist tried to trace the problem since the beginning of pharaonic civilization in Egyptian texts...
According to the reasearcher, the oldest source directly referring to pharaonic literacy comes from the end of the Fifth Dynasty, the end of the 3d millennium BC. Royal dignitary Inti an inscription carved inside his tomb at Saqqara near the oldest pyramid in the world, which mentions receiving a letter personally written by Pharaoh Isesi. The researcher found numerous allusions to skills in writing by the rulers of the land of the Nile in the Texts of the Pyramids, the oldest religious inscriptions carved inside the 10 pyramids.
(Excerpt) Read more at naukawpolsce.pap.pl ...
Hieroglyphics are an inherent part of Egyptian civilization, even though only a handful of people mastered them. Photo by S. Zdziebłowski
The Pharoah’s attitude was probably: I MAKE history. Other people read it.
With the murder and assassination rampant in any monarchical system literacy was likely a survival skill.
I speak fluent hieroglyphic. Let’s see what these say.
“Have you or a loved one been exposed to asbestos?”
“There’s no better time to invest in gold!”
“Here I sit, broken-hearted....”
When the Smithsonian discovered an ancient Egyptian colony in the Grand Canyon
http://io9.com/5875252/when-the-smithsonian-discovered-an-ancient-egyptian-colony-in-the-grand-canyon/all
Writing? I have people for that. And, no, I won't release my college transcripts.
REI Adventure Kitten Gear
http://meredithdw.kinja.com/
They can write hieroglyphics - but they can’t read them.
I would assume the Pharaohs were literate, because if for no other reason many of the surviving writings of the time are known for their verbosity, and Pharaohs were required at times to recite very long rituals, which while not impossible to memorize, would have been very difficult.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
