A small temple or building in a larger temple complex, the House of Life was a library, scriptorium, and a school all in one. Here, priest magicians studied magical texts, physicians studied medicine, and they all practiced their arts. They were custodians of all the knowledge of the temple and guarded their secrets carefully. People would come to the House of Life to have a dream interpreted or to purchase a magic spell, a charm, or a love potion. Lector priests were in charge of the books and specialized in interpreting dreams from standard dream books. Because of their special talents, lector priests did not participate in the daily temple ritual but concentrated on performing magic. They were called Scribes of the House of Life. The Coptic (Christian) word for magician.
