By Jacqueline Engel
Ostraca, or drawings and inscription on stone, of which the museum possesses a very large collection mostly from the Tombs of the kings at Thebes.
While the workmen were cutting the royal tombs, which sometimes penetrate the rock for more than 100 metres, the artisans who were out on duty amused themselves by collecting fragments of limestone at the entrance to the underground chambers, on which they drow pictures to suit their fancy, or inscribed poetry of their composition.
Places where limestone was broken up, either in making buildings or in destroying them, provided abundant writing material, as small pieces smooth on one side provided a good writing surface and were easily portable for writing exercises, which had not been moved, quite large pieces were often used. The great majority of limestone ostraca comes from Thebes.
Egyptian Museum Cairo
LA CIVILTA' EGIZIA 