Wax tablet facts for kids

A wax tablet was like an ancient notebook used by people long ago, especially in Ancient Rome. Instead of paper, they wrote on a thin layer of wax. They used a special tool called a stylus to scratch letters and words into the soft wax.

One cool thing about wax tablets was that they were reusable! If you made a mistake or wanted to write something new, you could gently warm the wax. This would make the wax smooth again, ready for new notes. They were very handy for schoolwork or quick messages.

What Were Wax Tablets?

A wax tablet was usually made from wood, often boxwood. It had a rectangular shape, like a small book. A thin layer of dark wax, often black, was spread over the surface. This dark wax made the lighter scratches from the stylus easy to see.

People used a stylus to write on these tablets. A stylus was a pointed tool, usually made of metal, bone, or ivory. One end was sharp for writing, and the other end was flat. The flat end was used to smooth out the wax, erasing what was written.

How Were They Used?

Wax tablets were very popular in Roman schools. Students used them to practice their writing and do their lessons. They were much cheaper and easier to get than papyrus or parchment. This made learning more accessible for many young Romans.

Besides school, wax tablets were also used for everyday notes. People would write down lists, calculations, or short messages. Sometimes, several tablets were hinged together to form a "notebook" called a diptych (two tablets) or triptych (three tablets).

For more permanent records, Romans used ink on wood or manuscripts. These were like early books. They could stitch manuscripts together to create a codex, which is similar to the books we use today.

Ancient Discoveries

We know about wax tablets because some have survived for thousands of years! The oldest known writing tablet was found in a shipwreck. This shipwreck, called the Uluburun Shipwreck, happened around 1400 BC. It was discovered near Kaş, Turkey, in 1986.

This very old tablet was made of boxwood and had an ivory hinge. It shows that people were using wax tablets even before the Roman Empire. It's amazing to think that a simple writing tool could last so long underwater!

Images for kids

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  Wax tablet and a Roman stylus

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  Writing with stylus and folding wax tablet. Painting by Douris, around 500 BC (Berlin).

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  Roman scribe with his stylus and tablets on his tomb stele at Flavia Solva in Noricum.

See also

In Spanish: Tablilla de cera para niños