A fascinating study of the skeletal remains of ancient Egyptian scribes from the third millennium BC has revealed the physical costs of this job. While the type of work they did might seem relatively non-stressful, in fact these men suffered from skeletal damage and degenerative osteoarthritis that affected the joints in many different parts of their bodies, which undoubtedly turned writing into a surprisingly painful profession for many. In this new study published by Nature, a team of researchers from the Czech Institute of Egyptology in Prague examined the skeletal remains of 69 adult males who lived in ancient Egypt between the years 2,700 and 2,180 BC, during the Old Kingdom period. The skeletons were recovered from a multigenerational elite necropolis unearthed near the village of Abusir, which is adjacent to an ancient pyramid complex. Cross Profession Study Group The skeletal remains belonged to men from two different groups: those who had worked as scribes, and those who had not. There were 30 individuals who belonged to the first group, and a close analysis of their remains showed clear anatomical anomalies that were not present in the members of the control group. Read moreSection: NewsHistory & ArchaeologyHistoryAncient TraditionsRead Later