The House of Life was a combination library, an institute of higher learning, and a great publishing center. Of course, the publications were on papyrus scrolls.
· The House of Life was part of every big city.
· They were institutions run by Egyptian kings.
Sir John Gardner Wilkinson wrote:
"These were located in temples or temple complexes and would have been presided over by Seshat and Thoth no matter which god the temple was dedicated to. Since the gods were thought to literally reside in their temples, this arrangement would be comparable to having a permanent houseguest in one's home who takes care of responsibilities one may value but simply has not time for."
Egyptologist Alan H. Gardiner wrote about artifacts found in an ancient House of Life in an article called "The House of Life."
He described it as a place where priests and scribes went to train and work; and also, a great hall of teaching and research. One House of Life uncovered showed copious notes from a doctor, offering cures and treatments.
He wrote the following about Seshat's place in it all:
"The title 'Foremost of the House of Life' appears on inscriptions for the goddess Seshat (meaning 'writing') and the god Khnum (creator of physical forms)."