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.[edit]
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.[edit]
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.[edit]
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