The findings open a new window into what life was like for scribes in ancient Egypt during the third millennium BC. Skeletal cluesLead study author Petra Brukner Havelková, an anthropologist at the National Museum in Prague, has specialized in identifying activity-induced skeletal markers for nearly 20 years. A drawing shows the parts of the skeleton most affected by the sitting positions and work carried out by scribes. But skeletal changes in their knees, hips and ankles also point to a squatting or crouching position that many scribes preferred. The chewing explains why their jaws were overloaded, while long hours of writing likely caused the skeletal changes observed in their right thumbs, the researchers said.

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Persons: Veronika Dulíková, ” Dulíková, “, Martin Frouz, Charles University, Petra Brukner Havelková, Havelková, Jolana, ” Havelková, Dr, Sonia Zakrzewski, ” Zakrzewski Organizations: CNN, Czech Institute of, Charles University, Records, ”, today’s Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, Czech Institute of Egyptology, of Arts, Charles, National Museum, University of Southampton Locations: Egypt, Abusir, Prague, United Kingdom, bioarchaeology, Saqqara, ’