Even though much ancient Egyptian written material is still in existence, it surely represents only a fraction of what originally existed. To produce such a mass, there must have been an impressive arsenal of scribes. In fact the word sesh, “scribe,” was among the most frequently used titles in ancient Egypt.
It is also one of the earliest recorded, and there are representations of scribes carrying the tools of their craft (pigments, water pot, and pen) over their shoulders from various periods beginning with the Old Kingdom.
The training of the scribes is well documented and the harsh treatment of apprentices is recorded both in texts and representations. It is perhaps no accident that the ancient Egyptian word for "teach," seba, also means "beat."
Today, there are preserved copies of the efforts of some scribal apprentices whose works have been corrected in red by their masters.
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