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Africa
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The African Herald
PoliticsAI-assisted

Here's One Malady You Share With Ancient Egyptian Scribes

Ancient Egyptian scribes held high-status jobs, making up some of the 1% of Egyptians who could read and write at that time. But the scribes suffered for it: New research published in Scientific Reports reveals that the ancient documentarians suffered…

Ancient Egyptian scribes held high-status jobs, making up some of the 1% of Egyptians who could read and write at that time. But the scribes suffered for it: New research published in Scientific Reports reveals that the ancient documentarians suffered from osteoarthritis as a consequence of their labors.

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Ancient Egyptian scribes held high-status jobs, making up some of the 1% of Egyptians who could read and write at that time.
Daniel Okonkwo · The African Herald

Based on reporting by gizmodo.com.

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AI transparency. This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence and published under human editorial oversight. AI systems can make mistakes. Read how we use AI (EU AI Act, Art. 50).
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