User:Aearthrise/Hieroglyphics/Egyptian Primer



Welcome to the Hieroglyphic Alphabet Primer; the purpose of this page is to teach you the most elementary hieroglyphs.

The History of Hieroglyphs:

Hieroglyphs come from before the Old Kingdom period (circa 3000 B.C.) of Egypt, existing for more than 5000 years. Most recorded hieroglyphs come from Classical Egyptian, i.e. the dialect of Egyptian used during the Middle Kingdom (circa 2000 B.C.). The Late Kingdom(circa 1000 B.C.) used hieroglyphs as well, but scribes wrote in a different dialect to Classical Egyptian. A cursive form of hieroglyphs from the Late Kingdom appeared called Demotic script, which mirrored the pronunciation of Late Egyptian hieroglyphs. Coptic is like Late kingdom Egyptian in that it is a more analytical dialect of Egyptian, that it uses articles, and that it has a similar syntax and grammar.

Pronunciation of Hieroglyphs:

Hieroglyphs at their inception were consonants/semi-consonants; Old and Middle Kingdom pronunciation of Egyptian continued the same consonant use. However, Late Egyptian pronunciation changed as Egypt and many of its Semitic neighbors such as Assyria(Syria),Canaan/Phoenicia(Palestine/Lebanon), and Babylon(Iraq) became conquered by Persia, being influenced by the Persian language, and later by Alexander the Great, spreading Greek to the former Persian Empire. The Greek Empire in Egypt became the Ptolemaic Empire, and Greek rulers wrote Greek words using former consonants as vowels.

About Writing Hieroglyphs:


 * All hieroglyphs had color, and many are elaborately detailed to compliment stelae or paintings of beautiful story scenes. *hint (most body parts were red)
 * Hieroglyphs use determinatives, e.g. (man), which allow for clarification of word meaning; many words sounded alike.
 * Some hieroglyphs have one consonant sound, such as 'ع', many have two consonant sounds like   'pr', and a few have three, such as   'ankh' ωνϧ.

Α-Ϥ .
1. The Egyptian Vulture

Color: Multi-colored, the wings could be blue, green or grey

Classical: ع, Ain, a glottal stop

Ptolemaic/Roman: Αα, Alpha

2. The Papyrus Reed

Color: Green

Classical: iy'

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ιι *Εε* *Αα* Iota *sometimes it represented Α and Ε*

3. Two Papyrus Reeds

Color: Green

Classical: Yi

Ptolemaic/Roman:*Ⲏⲓ*, *Ⲓⲏ*, *Ⲉⲓ* *Sometimes, Not always*

4. An Arm

Color: Red

Classical: ' a closure of the throat

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ηη Eta

5. The Baby Chick/ Abbreviated Chick Spiral

Color: Yellow

Classical: Uw, W

Ptolemaic/Roman: Υυ, Ουου Upsilon

6. A foot

Color: Red

Classical: B

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ββ, Beta

7. A floor mat

Color: Green

Classical: P

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ππ Φφ, Pi Ṗi(Phi)

8. The Viper with Horns

Color: Yellow

Classical: F

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ϥϥ, Fai

Μ-C .
9. The Owl

Color: Yellow

Classical: M

Ptolemaic/Roman: Μμ, Mu

10. Wave of Water

Color: Blue

Classical: N

Ptolemaic/Roman: Νν, Nu

11. A Mouth

Color: Red

Classical: R

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ρρ, Ro

12. Shelter made of Reeds

Color: Black/Blue

Classical: H

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ϩϩ, Hori

13. A Twisted Reed

Color: Green

Classical: H with more emphasis

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ϩϩ, Hori

14.
 * Possibly a Human Placenta

Color: Green

Classical: Kh

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ϧϧ, Khai

15. An Animal Body with Tail

Color: Various Colors including Yellow, Black, and Red

Classical: Kh but farther back in the throat

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ϧϧ, Khai

16. A Door Bolt

Color: Red

Classical: Originally Z, later S

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ⲥⲥ, Sigma

C-Λ .
17. Folded Cloth

Color: Red

Classical: S

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ⲥⲥ, Sigma

18. Pool of Water

Color: Blue/Black

Classical: Š(Sh)

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ϣϣ, Shai

19. Slope of a hill

Color: Blue/Black

Classical: Q', a K made from the throat

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ⲕⲕ Ⲭⲭ, Ka, Ḳi(Chi)

20. A basket made of reeds

Color: Green

Classical: K

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ⲕⲕ Ⲭⲭ, Ka, Ḳi(Chi)

21. Shelf to place jars

Color: Red

Classical: G

Ptolemaic/Roman: Γγ, Gamma

22. Bread

Color: Blue/Black

Classical: T

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ττ Θθ, Tau Ṫeta(Theta)

23. Rope tethers

Color: Green

Classical: Ty'

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ϯϯ, ti

24. A hand

Color: Red

Classical: D

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ⲇⲇ, Delta

25. The Egyptian Cobra

Color: Yellow

Classical: Dj

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ϫϫ, Djandja

26. The Lasso

Color: Red

Classical: Wa

Ptolemaic/Roman: Ⲟⲟ Ⲱⲱ, Omicron Omega

27. The Lion

Color: Yellow

Classical: n/a(Classical Egyptian didn't have the L sound, only R)

Ptolemaic/Roman: Λλ, Lambda