Buzz
The ancient Egyptians developed hieroglyphs as a means to incorporate writing into their artistic expressions. Unlike letters in modern English, hieroglyphs are symbolic representations. These symbols, known as hieroglyphs or glyphs, can convey multiple meanings based on their context and form. The following steps provide a foundational understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs and serve as a starting point for further exploration in this field.
Steps
Mastering the Ancient Egyptian Script
Acquire a visual guide to the Egyptian hieroglyphic alphabet. Since hieroglyphics are pictorial symbols rather than letters, it can be challenging to explain their reading without visual aids. Begin your learning journey by obtaining a visual alphabet chart online. Print and keep this chart handy as you delve into the intricacies of deciphering hieroglyphs.
- The following URLs offer visual charts of Egyptian hieroglyphs transliterated into the English alphabet:
- The glyphs presented in these charts are often termed ‘unilateral’ as most depict single symbols.
Mastering Hieroglyphic Pronunciation
Understand the Distinction Between Ideograms and Phonograms. In Egyptian hieroglyphics, there are two primary categories: ideograms and phonograms. Ideograms directly depict the object they represent, while phonograms denote sounds. Since vowels were not written by the Ancient Egyptians, phonograms mainly convey consonant sounds.
- Phonograms can signify single or multiple sounds, as shown in the glyph alphabet you acquired.
- In addition to their literal meaning (e.g., a leg glyph symbolizing movement), ideograms can also carry metaphorical meanings (e.g., a combination of glyphs including a leg might denote giving directions).
- Typically, Egyptian hieroglyphs start with phonograms and end with ideograms. Such hieroglyphs are also termed determinatives.
Compose Sentences Using Hieroglyphs. Hieroglyphs represent sounds, not letters, and do not have silent glyphs like English letters. To spell a word in hieroglyphs, each sound in the word must correspond to a glyph.
- For instance, the word ‘freight’ has seven letters but four distinct sounds: ‘f,’ ‘r,’ long ‘a,’ and ’t.’ Hence, to spell ‘freight’ in hieroglyphs, use glyphs for each sound, such as a horned viper, a reclining lion, an arm, and a bread loaf.
- Not all English sounds have corresponding glyphs in ancient Egyptian.
- Since many English vowels are silent, they are omitted in hieroglyphic spelling, sometimes leading to ambiguity. Determinative glyphs help clarify the intended meaning after spelling a word in hieroglyphs.
Decoding Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs
Determine the Reading Direction of Hieroglyphs. Hieroglyphs can be read in various directions: left to right, right to left, or top to bottom. To ascertain the reading direction, look for a glyph with a head. If the head faces left, start reading from the left towards the head; if it faces right, start from the right.
- For vertically aligned glyphs, always start from the top, but determine if you read right to left or left to right.
- Groups of glyphs may be compacted for space; tall glyphs stand alone, while short ones may stack. This requires reading horizontally and vertically in a single line of hieroglyphs.
Unlocking the Secrets of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Nouns
Mastering Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Pronouns
Grasping the Concept of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Prepositions
Understanding Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic Adjectives
Seeking Assistance in Learning Egyptian Hieroglyphics
Get yourself a guidebook on hieroglyphic deciphering. An excellent recommendation is the book How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A Step-by-Step Guide to Teach Yourself by Mark Collier and Bill Manley, available online at various booksellers.
Utilize iPhone/iPad apps for learning. Explore Egyptian-related apps on the Apple Store, such as the Egyptian Hieroglyphs app designed to teach glyph reading and the keyboard transformation app by the same developer.
Engage with the Royal Ontario Museum’s educational site. Visit the ROM’s activity webpage for step-by-step guidance on writing your name in hieroglyphs and explore their Ancient Egyptian gallery for real hieroglyph examples.
Employ the JSesh editor on your computer. Download the free JSesh editor from https://jsesh.qenherkhopeshef.org for writing and learning hieroglyphs, along with accessing tutorials on the website.
Enroll in Egyptology courses. Explore courses like the University of Cambridge’s workshop on reading ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, Coursera’s Ancient Egypt course using artifacts, and the University of Manchester’s online Egyptology programs and individual courses.
Helpful Tips
-
Gods' and kings' names often precede noun phrases but should be read after them, known as honorific transposition.
-
Ancient Egyptian also includes dependent, independent, and demonstrative pronouns, aside from suffix pronouns.
-
When reading aloud, insert an 'e' between two consonant-representing symbols. For instance, 'snfru' is conventionally pronounced as 'Seneferu.'
Important Warnings
- Many online hieroglyphic alphabets are incomplete. To access a comprehensive list, consider obtaining specialized books on Egyptian hieroglyphs.
- Learning hieroglyphs is a complex, long-term endeavor. Egyptology scholars spend years mastering hieroglyphic reading, and entire books are dedicated to this subject. This article provides basics but not exhaustive details.
