Hieroglyphs and Papyrus
Know that the ancient Egyptians used a special writing system called hieroglyphs — pictures and symbols that stood for sounds and words — and that they wrote on a paper-like material called papyrus, which was made from a plant that grew along the Nile
What a learner can do afterwards
- Describe hieroglyphs as a writing system that uses pictures and symbols
- Explain that papyrus was a material like paper made from a river plant
- Understand that only specially trained people called scribes could read and write hieroglyphs
The lesson
Long ago, Egyptians wrote with hieroglyphs. Hieroglyphs are pictures, not letters. Each picture stands for a sound or a word.
Egyptians did not write on paper like we do. They used papyrus instead. Papyrus came from a tall plant. This plant grew along the Nile River.
Mia sees old writing in a museum. She sees rows of little pictures. A guide tells her they are hieroglyphs. The guide says Egyptians wrote them on papyrus.
Only special writers called scribes learned hieroglyphs. It could take many years to learn. Reading hieroglyphs was a hard skill.
Egyptians wrote with pictures called hieroglyphs. They wrote on papyrus, and only scribes could read it.
Watch it
Where it sits
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.