What Did the Ancient Egyptian Scribes Eat as Food?

The scribes of ancient Egypt were privy to the secrets of their time, handling private documents such as letters, tax records, legal documents and esoteric text including the spells and incantations crucial to the devotion of the afterlife gods, plus any other missives required by officials of the pharaoh's court or the pharaoh himself. Because of their privileged position close to those in power, scribes also had the pleasure of indulging in foods that most common people could not access, such as deserts and spiced meats and breads.

Egyptian scribes also dined on staple Egyptian food items served during both daily meals as well as feasts, such as fowl and vegetables. Beans, peas and lentils were also common ancient Egyptian foods that were available to most. Contrary to popular belief though as borne out by recent archaeological discoveries as well as many images and texts in papyrus scrolls and tomb paintings, beef was a staple of the Egyptian diet, its consumption fueling the workers who built the pyramids as well as providing sustenance for the scribes at court.