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ago, <b>what’s mind-boggling is the level of transparency and kinds of excuses they got away with!</b> Nowadays, you miss work because you’re ill, have a family emergency, or are on annual leave (and no one needs to know why you’re off).</p><p id="5b55">Yet, three millennia ago, there seems to have been a need to disclose every detail… and it was okay!</p><p id="7856"><b>Here are 11 examples of excuses from the ostracon that would never fly today:</b></p><h2 id="c28c">1. Drinking with Khonsu</h2><p id="69c3">It isn’t clear if the employee was drinking with the ancient Egyptian god Khonsu or some colleague named Khonsu… either way, <i>he’s off to drink.</i></p><h2 id="ef72">2. Brewing Beer</h2><p id="b300">This is a very common excuse from the ostracon. Beer was essential to ancient Egyptians and considered a type of food. It was also associated with gods and goddesses, especially the goddess of love — Hathor. <i>Take the day off to brew beer, anyone?</i></p><h2 id="e8e6">3. With his boss</h2><p id="029d">Sounds weird… but it was common and accepted for employees to do side work for their bosses. <i>Freelancing during office hours!</i></p><h2 id="a243">4. His daughter/wife was bleeding</h2><p id="9e2a">In reference to his daughter’s or wife’s menstruation. Men supposed

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ly helped out at home while their wives or daughters were menstruating. <i>I hope they really helped and not just used their wives and daughters as an excuse to stay home!</i></p><h2 id="b1e3">5. Fetching stone for the scribe</h2><p id="5a8d">Ancient Egyptians placed huge significance on the written word, and scribes held one of the noblest professions. <i>This would be the equivalent of fetching paper or electricity for modern-day writers.</i></p><h2 id="4880">6. Making remedies for the scribe’s wife</h2><p id="1b1c">Here’s more proof that the scribe was respected. <i>You could miss work if you were making remedies for your favorite author’s wife!</i></p><h2 id="702d">7. Offering to the god</h2><p id="295e">Okay, this may still apply in some shape or form as a religious holiday, but you’re not making an offering on some random day.</p><h2 id="a8ac">8. Burying the god</h2><p id="3327">Whatever that means…</p><h2 id="b7b9">9. Strengthening the door</h2><p id="a0de">Someone’s gotta strengthen that door — it was all DIY back then.</p><h2 id="95d1">10. With his God</h2><p id="43a3"><i>Use this excuse when you spend the day with God.</i></p><h2 id="03a3">11. His Feast</h2><p id="2fa1">If you’re planning on having a feast, you definitely need the day off.</p></article></body>

Fun Facts

11 Ancient Excuses to Miss Work That Surprisingly Worked 3,250 Years Ago!

#9. Strengthening the door

Photo: © The Trustees of the British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Keeping employee attendance, it turns out, isn’t some modern creation thought up by the evil Human Resources and managers. There’s proof of the practice dating back to 1250 BC in ancient Egypt.

A limestone tablet (an ostracon) held at The British Museum provides the attendance register of 40 workers for 280 days of the year.

The ostracon, inked in New Egyptian hieratic script, lists 40 names in columns on the right edge of each side, followed to the left by a horizontal row for each employee, showing the dates (in black) and excuses for missing work (in red)!

While it’s impressive they kept track of attendance this long ago, what’s mind-boggling is the level of transparency and kinds of excuses they got away with! Nowadays, you miss work because you’re ill, have a family emergency, or are on annual leave (and no one needs to know why you’re off).

Yet, three millennia ago, there seems to have been a need to disclose every detail… and it was okay!

Here are 11 examples of excuses from the ostracon that would never fly today:

1. Drinking with Khonsu

It isn’t clear if the employee was drinking with the ancient Egyptian god Khonsu or some colleague named Khonsu… either way, he’s off to drink.

2. Brewing Beer

This is a very common excuse from the ostracon. Beer was essential to ancient Egyptians and considered a type of food. It was also associated with gods and goddesses, especially the goddess of love — Hathor. Take the day off to brew beer, anyone?

3. With his boss

Sounds weird… but it was common and accepted for employees to do side work for their bosses. Freelancing during office hours!

4. His daughter/wife was bleeding

In reference to his daughter’s or wife’s menstruation. Men supposedly helped out at home while their wives or daughters were menstruating. I hope they really helped and not just used their wives and daughters as an excuse to stay home!

5. Fetching stone for the scribe

Ancient Egyptians placed huge significance on the written word, and scribes held one of the noblest professions. This would be the equivalent of fetching paper or electricity for modern-day writers.

6. Making remedies for the scribe’s wife

Here’s more proof that the scribe was respected. You could miss work if you were making remedies for your favorite author’s wife!

7. Offering to the god

Okay, this may still apply in some shape or form as a religious holiday, but you’re not making an offering on some random day.

8. Burying the god

Whatever that means…

9. Strengthening the door

Someone’s gotta strengthen that door — it was all DIY back then.

10. With his God

Use this excuse when you spend the day with God.

11. His Feast

If you’re planning on having a feast, you definitely need the day off.

Fun Facts
History
Humor
Ancient Egypt
Work Life Balance
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