The sculpture of the Seated Scribe or Squatting Scribe is a famous work of ancient Egyptian art. It represents a figure of a seated scribe at work. The cross-legged figure known as the ‘Seated Scribe’ and depicted in the process of writing is a masterpiece of Egyptian art.
The exceptional quality of the statue indicates that it represented a high dignitary. The statue is considered to be the icon of all scribe statues and one of the most important symbols of sculpture at the Egyptian Museum.
The sculpture was discovered at Saqqara, north of the alley of sphinxes leading to the Serapeum of Saqqara, in 1850, and dated to the period of the Old Kingdom, from either the 5th Dynasty, c. 2450-2325 BCE or the 4th Dynasty, 2620-2500 BCE. It is now in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
The Seated Scribe was made around 2450-2325 BCE; it was discovered near a tomb made for an official named Kai and is sculpted from limestone.
The Seated Scribe, Louvre Museum, Paris
Art History Minute: Seated Scribe
Discovery and Materials
The sculpture of the seated scribe was discovered in Saqqara on 19 November 1850, to the north of the Serapeum's line of sphinxes by French archeologist Auguste Mariette.
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It is a painted limestone statue, the eyes inlaid with rock crystal, magnesite (magnesium carbonate), copper-arsenic alloy, and nipples made of wood. With a few exceptions, the sculpture is painted limestone.
Description and Features
This painted limestone sculpture represents a man in a seated position, presumably a scribe. The figure is dressed in a white kilt stretched to its knees. The white kilt, stretched over his knees, serves as a support.
It is holding a half rolled papyrus. He is holding a partially rolled papyrus scroll in his left hand. Perhaps the most striking part aspect of the figure is its face. Its realistic features stand in contrast to perhaps more rigid and somewhat less detailed body. The hands, fingers, and fingernails of the sculpture are delicately modeled. The hands are in writing position.
The most striking aspect of this sculpture is the face, particularly the elaborately inlaid eyes: they consist of a piece of red-veined white magnesite, in which a piece of slightly truncated rock crystal was placed.
Special attention was devoted to the eyes of the sculpture. They are modeled in rich detail out of pieces of red-veined white magnesite which were elaborately inlaid with pieces of polished truncated rock crystal.
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Crystal, which is polished on the front, and then an organic material is added to the back that functioned both as an adhesive but also to color the iris. The back side of the crystal was covered with a layer of organic material which at the same time gives the blue colour to the iris and serves as an adhesive.
Two copper clips hold each eye in place. All of this comes together to create a sense of alertness, a sense of awareness, a sense of intelligence that is quite present. The Scribe’s fame is due in great part to his compelling gaze. His eyes are inlaid with rock crystal and seem to sparkle with life.
The scribe has a soft and slightly overweight body, suggesting he is well off and does not need to do any sort of physical labor. He sits in a cross-legged position that would have been his normal posture at work.
His facial expression is alert and attentive, gazing out to the viewer as though he is waiting for them to start speaking. He has a ready-made papyrus scroll laid out on his lap but the reed-brush used to write is missing.
Both his hands are positioned on his lap. His right hand is pointing towards the paper as if he has already started to write while watching others speak.
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The Role of Scribes in Ancient Egypt
The scribe’s job was one of the most important in ancient Egypt, for he was the representative of culture, science, knowledge, and literature. In this regard, scribes are considered the main founders of its civilization.
Writing played a major role throughout ancient Egyptian history, and the scribe was a figure of great importance and one of the highest positions in the state due to his work in temples and royal palaces. Scribes also occupied a political position, because they kept royal secrets.
- There were several types of scribes, including the royal scribe, the temple scribe, and the daily life scribe, making sure that all administrative and economic activities were documented.
- All activities that involved the use of writing were the responsibility of the sekhau, the scribe.
- This was a figure that stood out transversally in Egyptian society.
A sekhau, in fact, could be a temple or administrative centre official, a military man, a doctor, a priest and even a painter, sculptor or architect.
Although the teaching of writing remained reserved for those who were destined for a profession that required it in some way, almost anyone could potentially become a sekhau and become culturally and socially emancipated.
Scribes in Ancient Egypt
Scribes were very important people in ancient Egypt. They were among the few who knew how to read and write. Because of this, they were highly respected and well-paid. Most people were farmers who did not need to read or write.
Scribes had many different jobs in daily Egyptian life. They worked as tax collectors and helped organize people for activities like mining, trade, and war.
They would be used as tax collectors and were in charge of organizing personnel for activities such as mining, trade and war.
Scribes also worked on big projects like building the pyramids.
Identity and Context
The identity of the person represented remains unknown. The semicircular base of the sculpture suggests that it originally fitted in a larger piece of rock which presumably carried its name and title.
The statue was dated to the period of the 4th Dynasty, 2620-2500 BC, and is usually associated to the person of Pehernefer. Certain stylistic characteristics, unusual thin lips, broad chest and the posture of the torso might support this theory.
The dating itself remains uncertain; the period of the 6th Dynasty has also been suggested.
The Seated Scribe in Popular Culture
The Central Bank of Egypt issued 200 Egyptian pounds that depict the statue of the Seated scribe in 2007. These banknotes are still in circulation.
Today, there are many statues of ancient Egyptian scribes in museums, as these officials were keen to portray themselves as important and evidence of the society’s keenness on science and education.
The sculpture known as The Seated Scribe is a very famous piece of ancient Egyptian art. It shows a scribe (a person who wrote things down) sitting and working. Experts believe it was made during the Old Kingdom period.
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