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Egyptian scribes like Katep’s father, had to study as long as 12 years. They learned arithmetic, reading and writing. But their writing consisted of several hundred picture signs instead of an alphabet as we know it. These picture signs are known as hieroglyphs.

Each hieroglyph is a small picture that represents a different word or idea. For instance, a set of wavy lines symbolized “water”. A circle within a circle represented the sun. A man with his hand to his mouth could be the hieroglyph for “eat”, but it could also mean “silent”.

Hieroglyphs could be written either in columns or rows. A sentence could start from the left like ours do, or from the right. How would you know which direction to read? Animal heiroglyphs are the clue. If the animal is facing left, read left to right; if the animal is facing right, read right to left!

Before there was papyrus, the hieroglyphs were carved into wood or stone. Even after the invention of papyrus, students practiced drawing the pictograms on inexpensive clay tablets that could be wiped clean with a rag.

Because there were over 700 hieroglyphs to learn and each hieroglyph took a long time to draw, most ancient Egyptians didn’t learn to read or write. For this reason, scribes were important members of the court and government, writing contracts and serving as accountants. Others became high priests in the temples.

Eventually the hieroglyphs were simplified and could be written quickly and in a more fluid style.

The word “hieroglyph” is a Greek translation for the Egyptian phrase “the god’s words”. By the art and effort applied to the written word, it is clear that the Egyptians treated the depiction of their language as “sacred”.