These writing surfaces consisted of a wooden board covered in a layer of soft beeswax. One could write on the wax using a stylus, a handheld tool with a pointed end, scratching the wax to create incisions. When finished writing, the stylus could be used to smooth the wax, erasing any mistakes made during the writing process.
Wax tablets were reusable and easy to carry around, making them well-suited for student use. They could also be easily stored and stacked. In education, wax tablets played a crucial role in teaching students how to read, write, and perform basic arithmetic calculations.
Additionally, wax tablets were not only used by students but also by businessmen, officials, and other individuals for taking quick notes, jotting down ideas, or recording daily transactions. The ability to easily erase mistakes made these tablets incredibly useful for writing practice, as well as for producing drafts and rough texts.
Overall, wax tablets were an essential writing tool in ancient Greece, serving the educational, administrative, and personal communication needs of the time. They provided a convenient and portable method of writing, making them suitable for a variety of purposes.