A Brief Introduction to Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics

Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics known as "Sacred carvings" was formed roughly around 2700 BCE from the influence of the Mesopotamian people. The language of the Mesopotamians consisted of Cuneiform, Sumerian and then Akkadian. From this influence of the Mesopotamian written language is how the ancient Egyptians hieroglyphics was created. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics followed with hierotic which is the cursive writings of hieroglyphics and then followed was Demotic, Coptic, Hebrew and currently Arabic. The closest we get to how the ancient Egyptians spoke in the New Kingdom (1552 BCE) is the spoken language of Coptic.

The ancient Egyptian language has affinities with the Semitic languages of Western Asia also others of North Eastern Africa which is referred to as Hamitic. Around 1580 to 1490 BCE there was a strong foreign influence that appeared in the ancient Egyptian language with the introduction of words from Asiatic language.

The Kushites borrowed the written language of the Egyptians and formed what is called the Meroitic language and they also had a cursive writing for Meroitic hieroglyphics which is known as Merotic cursive. The ancient Egyptians spoke many languages due to the trading routes along the Nile and Mediteranean coast. Not all the Egyptians knew what the Hieroglyphic writings meant not even some of the scribes knew what they were writing.

The ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics contain well over 600 different hieroglyphics making it impossible for each hieroglyphic to represent a single idea or meaning. The ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic alphabet consisted mainly of consonants. The ancient Egyptian language contains two basic types of signs, logograms which are signs used to write a single word as in the symbol of a cows ear which would mean "ear" and could also mean "to hear"; and phonograms which were written to write sound meanings like the symbol of an eye would be used to write "I" as if you were writing "I was.".

There are three parts to phonograms the first known as monoliterals would referred to one consonant signs. The second is known as biliterals which consist of two consonant signs and third known as triliterals consisting of three consonantal signs. Phonetic complements are when phonetic biliterals and triliterals are added to monoliterals to facilitate pronunciation.

Determinatives are basically symbols that could mean several words because of the lack of vowels as in the English words "Time," "Tim," and "Tame." When we remove the vowels from these words we have T M. In order to determine what word is being referred to the ancient Egyptians used a picture or something that would clearly hint to the meaning of the word. Like an image of sheep for SH P to let us know they were referring to the word Sheep or an image of a pot after the symbol P T.

The ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics alphabet which would be known as monoliterals include:

Symbol: Vulture English Transl.: a Sound: a as in ah in some cases replaced by y or a, glottal stop.

Symbol: Arm English Transl.: a Sound: a as in ah

Symbol: Foot English Transl.: b Sound: b as in bet

Symbol: Hand English Transl.: d Sound: d as in sadder

Symbol: Horned Viper English Transl.: f Sound: f as in fat *this sign is also used for v'*

Symbol: Ring stand English Transl.: g Sound: g as in get

Symbol: Twisted Flaxwick English Transl.: h Sound: emphatic h (a long a sound) as in hit

Symbol: House/Courtyard English Transl.: h Sound: h as in hot

Symbol: Reed English Transl.: Sound: i ee as in meet

Symbol: Snake English Transl.: j Sound: ju as in judge * also written dj (d as in dune)*

Symbol: Basket English Transl.: k Sound: k as in kick

Symbol: Lion English Transl.: l Sound: like the'r' in foreign words and "l" for l in a word

Symbol: Owl English Transl.: m Sound: m as in met

Symbol: Rib English Transl.: m Sound: m

Symbol: Crown English Transl.: n Sound: n

Symbol: Water English Transl.:n Sound: n as in net

Symbol: Stool English Transl.: p Sound: p as in pet

Symbol: Hill English Transl.: q Sound: laryngeal k as in k in kat with a deep throat as possible

Symbol: Mouth English Transl.: r Sound: like the r' in foreign words and l' for l in a word, r as in pero

Symbol: Pool English Transl.: s Sound: sh as in shot

Symbol: Folded Cloth English Transl.: s Sound: s as in set

Symbol: Tethering Rope English Transl.: t Sound: ch *org. t as in tune*

Symbol: Loaf Sound: t Sound: t as in toe

Symbol: Lasso or Cord English Transl.: w Sound: w if initial or otherwise 'oo'

Symbol: Quail Chick English Transl.: w/u Sound: w if initial like w in wet or otherwise oo' like the u as in glue

Symbol: Animals Belly with teats English Transl.: x Sound: voiced khy as in cue

Symbol:Placenta English Transl.: x Sound: voiceless kh as in ach

Symbol: Two Reeds English Transl.: y Sound: ee as in reed

Symbol: Door Bolt English Transl.: z Sound: s as in set

The ancient Egyptians also had numbers in their written language to express dates, time and was also used for math and science. The numerals 1 through 9 were written with vertical strokes which can be seen below:

Number 1 is hieroglyphic l, number 2 is hieroglyphic ll, number 3 is hieroglyphic lll, number 4 is hieroglyphic llll, number 5 is hieroglyphic lllll, number 6 is hieroglyphic lll on top and lll on the bottom, number 7 is hieroglyphic llll on top and lll on the bottom, number 8 is hieroglyphic llll on top and llll on the bottom, number 9 is hieroglyphic lllll on top and llll on the bottom and number 10 is hieroglyphic lllll on top and lllll on the bottom.

The ancient Egyptian symbol for the number 10 is a piece of rope which looks like an upside down U. For the number 100 is a coil of rope which looks like a coil. For the number 1000 would be a lotus plant. The symbol of a single finger represents the number 10,000. For 100,000 the symbol of a tadpole was used and the god Heh was used to represent the number 1,000,000.

To write the number 1,024 in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic you would first draw the lotus flower then two pieces of rope which look like upside down U, one on top of the other as in stacking them and then four vertical strokes with two strokes on top of the other two strokes as in stacking.

The ancient Egyptians also used hieroglyphic symbols to represent the seasons, year and days. The numbers followed after the symbol. For Month in ancient Egyptian would be what appears to be a crescent moon upside down with the number below and for the hieroglyphic day would be the symbol of a circle with a small circle inside and the numbers would follow after to represent the day.

When the names of pharaohs were written in hieroglyphics their names would be written inside cartouches and usually followed the symbols to state their Nomen and Prenomen name of a god used.

When reading ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics you always read towards the face of the hieroglyphic. This could be either right to left or left to right or even right down to center to left and up or down depending on the art. Reading hieroglyphics is never a consistent format it is different depending on the art or section you are deciphering.

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Best Ancient Egypt Magazine

If you are interested in reading information about ancient Egypt one of the best magazines out there is KMT and you can order by visiting their website at www.kmtjournal.com 

I just love this magazine it is always full of interesting articles and amazing pictures. 

I am sure you will totally enjoy KMT just like me......

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The Basic Chronology of Ancient Egypt

The basic chronology of ancient Egypt consists of:

Palaeolithic Period                   
500,000 - 5500 BCE

Predynastic  Period                
 5500 - 3050 BCE

Early Predynastic Period       
5500 - 3800 BCE      Fayum A, Merimda, Badarian
3800 - 3500 BCE      Amratian (Naqada IA - IB)

Middle Predynastic Period    
3550 - 3400 BCE       Early Gerzean (Naqada IC, IIA - B)

Late Predynastic Period       
3400 - 3300 BCE      Middle Gerzean (Naqada IIC )
3300 - 3200 BCE      Late Gerzean (Naqada IID1 - IID2)

Protodynastic Period             
3200 - 3050 BCE      (Naqada IIIA1 - IIIC1)


Early Dynastic Period            
3050 - 2613 BCE      
3050 - 2890 BCE      Dynasty I (Naqada IIIC1 - IIID)
2890 - 2686 BCE       Dynasty II (Naqada IIID)

Old Kingdom Period              
2686 - 2181 BCE        Dynasties III - VI

First Intermediate Period     
2181 - 2040 BCE        Dynasties VII - XI (1)

Middle Kingdom Period         
2040 - 1782 BCE        Dynasties XI (2) - XII

Second Intermediate Period  
1782 - 1570 BCE         Dynasties XIII - XVII

New Kingdom Period              
1570 - 1070 BCE         Dynasties XVIII - XX

Third Intermediate Period    
1070 - 713 BCE            Dynasties XXI - XXIV

Late Period                               
713 - 332 BCE              Dynasties XXV - XXXI

Graeco - Roman Period    
332 BCE - AD 395       Ptolemies and Roman Emperors

Based on W.J. Murnane, The Penguin Guide to Ancient Egypt, 1983

Nemes: The Headdress of Ancient Egypt

The headdress (Nemes) of ancient Egypt was worn only by the Pharaoh.

Atef Crown of Ancient Egypt

The Atef crown of ancient Egypt is associated with the ancient Egyptian god Osiris.
The crown means "His Might".

Khepresh: The Blue Helmet/War Crown of Ancient Egypt

The blue helmet also known as the war crown (Khepresh) was used from the 18th Dynasty
and onwards. This crown is often shown in depictions of battle and worn at ceremonies.

Pschent: The Double Crown of Ancient Egypt

The double crown (Pschent) of ancient Egypt is the combination of both the red crown and the 
white crown worn together, representing the unification of Egypt and giving the Pharoah full
power of both Upper and Lower Egypt. When the two crowns are together they are called
"Mighty One".

Hedjet: The White Crown of Ancient Egypt

The White Crown (Hedjet) of ancient Egypt was the crown of Upper Egypt.

Deshret: The Red Crown of Ancient Egypt

The Red Crown (Deshret) of ancient Egypt was the crown of Lower Egypt. 

The Famous Hymn to the Sun God Aten

The famous Hymn that was written by Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV)  of the 18th Dynasty for his new formed sun god Aten. Akhenaten was known to be the first in ancient Egyptian history to
give up all the traditional gods and form a new religion known as the Cult of Aten. 

The praise of the sun-god
Thou appearest beautiful in the horizon of the sky,
O living Disk, beginning of life!
When thou risest in the eastern horizon, 
Thou fillest every land with thy beauty.
Thou art beautiful, great, 
Resplendent and exalted over every land.
Thy rays encompass the lands
To the extent of all things which thou hast made;
(Since) thou art Re, thou bringest then all, 
Thou subjectest them to thy beloved son
(though) thou art afar, thy rays are on earth;
Thou art on their faces (and thus they feel?) thy steps.

(When) thou goest to rest in the western horizon, 
The earth is in darkenss, in the condition of death.
(Men) lie in their chambers with their heads wrapped up;
One eye seeth not the other.
Their belongings are stolen (even when) lying under their heads, 
And they notice it not.
Every lion cometh from his den, 
All serpents bite, 
Darkness (is their protection?)
The earth (resteth) in slience
(While) he who made them is in his horizon.

The earth is bright when thou risest on the horizon, 
Resplendent as the sun-disk in day-time.
Thou removest darkness
(When) thou sendest thy rays.
Both lands are in festival joy, 
Awakening and standing on (their) feet;
Thou hast raised them up.
Their limbs being bathed, they take (their) clothing;
Their arms are (lifted) in worship at they rising;
(Thereupon) all the land perform their toil.

All cattle rejoice in their grass;
Trees and herbs are greening
The birds are flying from their nests (seshu)
Their wings are (lifted) in worship to thy being;
All (wild) animals skip on their feet;
The birds and all things fluttering
(Feel) alive when thou hast arisen for them.
The ships sail (on) the stream up and down alike;
Every way is open when thou arisest. 
The fish in the rivers leap before thee;
Thy rays are in the innermost of the great ocean.

Creator of issue in women, 
Maker of seed in men, 
Who preserveth alive the son in his mother's womb
And keepeth him quiet that he weep not, 
A nurse (for him even) in the (maternal) womb.
Who giveth breath to keep alive all that he maketh;
(When) it descendeth from the womb on the day of its birth;
Thou openest its mouth, giving it voice;
Thou makest what it doth need.

The young bird crieth in the shell
(Because) thou givest it breath within to preserve its life.
When thou hast given it strength to open the egg, 
It cometh from the egg
To cry with full strength.
It runneth on its feet
When it cometh forth from it.

How manifold are (the things) which thou hast made!
They are mysteries before 
Thou only god,
Whose place none else can take!

Thou hast created the earth according to thy heart
Thou being alone
Men, flocks, and all animals, 
Whasoever is on earth, 
Going on feet, 
Whatsoever is high in the air, flying with its wings, 
The foreign lands, Syria and Ethiopia, 
(And) the land of Egypt.

Thou assignest every man to his place, 
Thou makest what they need.
Each one hath his food, 
And his lifetime is counted.
The tongues are distinguished in speech;
Their forms and also their skins are differentiated;
(Thus) thou didst distinguish the strange nations.

Thou madest the Nile in the lower world.
Thou bringest him according to thy liking.
For furnishing life to mankind, 
As thou hast made them for thyself, 
Thou, their lord, (lord) of them all, 
Resting among them, 
Thou lord of every land
Who ariseth for them, 
O sun-disk of the day, great of power!

All foreign countries, the remote, 
Thou makest life for them;
(Because) thou has placed a Nile in the sky, 
It descendeth for them, 
It maketh waves on the mountain like the great ocean, 
Irrigating their fields in their towns.

How excellent are thy plans, O lord of eternity!
Thou (hast established) the Nile in the sky for the foreign lands
And for the wild beasts of every mountain country wandering on 
their feet;
(But) the Nile cometh from the underworld for Egypt.

Thy rays nourish every green spot;
(When) thou risest, they live
And they grow for thee.

Thou hast made the seasons
To produce all that thou makest;
The winter to cool them, 
The (season of) heat (when) they (really) taste thee.
Thou didst make the sky far away to rise in it
And to behold all that thou makest.

Thou art alone, rising in thy forms as a living disk, 
Appearing, shining, departing, and (again) drawing nigh.
Thou makest millions of forms from thyself alone,
Cities, villages, and tribes, 
Highways and rivers;
Every eye beholdeth thee before them
(When) thou art the disk of day-tiem above (them).

"Thou art in my heart.
None other is there who knoweth thee
Except thy son, Akh-en-aten;
Thou hast made him wise in thy plans and in thy power.

The (whole) earth is at thy command
As thou hast made them.
When thou hast risen, they (feel) alive.
When thou hast set, they (feel) deed. 
(Thus) in thyself thou art lifetime;
People live from thee;
(All) eyes (are fixed) on they beauty until thou settest;
All work is stopped (when) thou settest in the west. 

Arising, thou makest (everything good) grow for the king
Who hath been a servant following thee
For thou hast founded the earth
And raised it up for thy son, 
The one who came forth from thy limbs, 
The king of Upper and Lower Egypt, 
Living in truth, lord of both countries, 

Nefer-khepru-re (The Best of the Forms of the Sun)
Ua-n-re ( The Only One of the Sun)
Son of the sun, living in truth, 
The lord of diadems, Akh-en-aten. 
Long (be) his life, 
And the chief royal wife, beloved of him, 
The mistress of both countries, 
Nefer-nefru-aten, Nefert-iti, 
Who liveth and flourisheth for ever and for eternity. 


Works Cited:
Muller, W.Max, Egyptian Mythology (2004) Dover Publications, Inc.
 

Ancient Egyptian Priest Hapuseneb

If Hapuseneb would come back to life it will be very interesting to take him on a tour to the remains of Ancient Egypt. He would teach us a lot about the priesthood and the life of the Egyptians during the New Kingdon era. His memory could provide detailed information about the puzzling mysteries that current day Egyptologists want to know and confirm.

Hapuseneb was the high priest of Amun during the New Kingdom era in ancient Egypt during the regime of the female Pharaoh Maatkare-Hatshepsut (1473-1458 BCE). He would tell us that Hatshepsut gave him the opportunity of being in charge of her monuments in Ipet-Isut (Karnak) giving him a powerful position.

If we took Hapuseneb to Ipet-Isut he would tell us about the Great Temple of Amun. He would tell us about the obelisks that Hatshepsut dedicated to the god Amun in memory of her father Tuthmosis I. He would also tell us that these obelisks were made from a single piece of granite and gilded with great amounts of the finest gold. He would tell us about the reconstructed red quartzite Chapelle Rouge (red temple) that is depicting Hatshepsut before the god Amun.

Life as a priest was a decision made by the Pharaoh and the function of priests was to maintain universal order as dictated by the gods. All priests went through the traditional sacred purification ritual that included taking vows of purity and obedience. Priestly requirements consisted of bathing three to four times a day in the sacred purificatory pools. The pools were located within certain temples; and from current day archaeological research it has shown us that some were rectangular in shape. Hapuseneb would correct me if I said that all sacred pools were rectangular in shape, he would take me the temple of Mut at Karnak and show me that the sacred pool there was in a shape of a horseshoe and was lined with stone. He would tell me that these sacred pools where known to the ancient Egyptians as shi-netjer and that they were symbolic of the waters of Nu, the cosmic ocean. The location of the sacred pools made it convenient for priests to bath in before they entered the temple and they served as a source of water for ritual purifications and offerings. Priests were also required to shave their heads and bodies, could not eat fish because ffish was the food of the peasants and priests had a special position in society which was tremendously higher than the common public. Priests were not allowed to wear any wool or any clothing tht was made from animals because animal products were considered unclean. They were required to wear clean linen. Sem priests were excluded from this rule and they are commonly recognized by the leopard skin clothing they wore. Archeological remains provide us with an excample of depiction from the 18th Dynasty from the tomb of Sennefer where this depiction shows a sem priest who is wearing leopard clothing. Priests were not restricted from intimacy, but they were considered unclean until they were purified. Female priests were not allowed into the temples while they were menstruating. Circumcision was a requirement from all male priests. Thee is a circumcision scene from the tomb of Ankhmahor at Saqqara from the 5th Dynasty. The stone could be made from granite and appears to be much intact and there are hieroglyphics around the person that is being circumcised, clearly describing the scene.

There were several types of priests in ancient Egypt. There were two classes of priests, "the Hem-netjer (god's servant) priests who were admitted to the temple sanctuary, and the lower 'wab' (pure) priests whose roles often involved non-ritual tasks and were usually not permitted access to the sanctuary." (Wilkinson 2000) The most prestigious priest was the Lector Priest (Kheri-Hebet) they were considered the highest among priests and was a highly respected position. They were the overseeers of the high priests and were responsible for the sacred scrolls and were "obliged to read directly from the papyrus book [which was] held open in his hands. He has to recite them exactly as they are written, even if he has read them many, many times before, for making a mistake can offend the god. This was done at the official ceremonies and at the head of the processions, when the god was carried out before the people." (Sauneron, 2000). The next class of priests was the high priest (Hem-Netjer_tepy) which was the position held by Hapuseneb and his priest name would have been called the Opener of the Gate of Heaven. He was responsible for the care of the gods and for the god's needs. This position was both religious and pollitical and was a very powerful position. Hapuseneb would tell us that it was not just priests that held positions within the temples, that there were also the scribes who were in charge of writing the sacred scrolls. If Hapuseneb were to take us to the tomb of Menna who was from the 18th Dynasty he would show us a wall depiction 'Scribes reckoning the Harvest' that appears to be in good condition and the depiction is clearly showing us scribes recording the harvest while there are others which appear to be collecting the harvest. There were also Lay magicians who would perform services to the community, provide counseling, magical arts and healings. "Dream interpretation was an important activity for members of the lower clergy Hapuseneb would also explain to me that temples were places in which offerings to the gods were made; and within temple walls you would find slaughterhouses, bakeries, kitchens, breweries and various workshops that produced goods such as linen garments that were worn by the priests and workshops that would repair clutic objects and items that are used in the services of the cult. he would mention how many of the commodities would not only be used in offerings to the gods, but also how these commodities provided revenue for the temples giving them not a powerful position, but also provided them and the Egyptian state with great wealth. He would also provide me with detailed information about the granaries and how they were important storage units within the temples. He would confirm that they were made out of mudbricks and had a dome shape appearance and how majority of them were generally located behind the temples.

Hapuseneb would tell us that priests conducted daily rituals. In the temple of Amun in Karnak "The god, [is] in the form of a statue, and is seated in a shrine, a so called naos, which was built of stone or wood and kept in the innermost chamber of the temple. The statue could be made of stone, gold or gilded wood, inlaid with semi-precious stones and it was not always life sized. It was not regarded as an idol, but as the receptacle of the deities, Ka. Three times a day, if not more, rituals were performed at the shrine. At dawn the temple singers awoke the god by singing the Morning Hymn. And after having purified himself, the priest conducting the morning service, broke the seal and drew back the bolts that had been tied last night and the doors to the god was opened. Now the god received the same purification process as the priests already had undergone. Incense was burned and the god was dressed, perfumed and had cosmetics put on, in the same way as the King would have been prepared for the day." (Sauneron, 2000) After the ritual was performed offerings of food and drinks in large quantities were made to the gods and while the gods Ka was absorbing these offerings they were being entertained by dancers, singers and musicians. Some archeological remains can give us an idea about the offerings made to the gods. In the temple of Hatshepsut in Deir el-Bahri, Hapuseneb might suggest to us that there is a painted limestone relief depicting bearers of offerings brought at the Pharaohs request. This depiction shows us whatt an offering to the gods might have been like. It shows us men holding trays that are filled with different kinds of foods and drinks. Other archeological remains show examples of offerings to the gods in the 'Music and Dance in Honor of the God' depiction which is located in the Red Chapel at Karnak. This scene is carved in stone and gives us an idea about how elaborate the entertainment performances were like. This depiction shows us several musicians, one that is playing a harp and three that are playing sistrums. There are also several dancers in this depiction.

Archeological remains from the temples of ancient Egypt have shown us that not only were there elaborate offerings to the gods, but the ancient Egyptians also celebrated in temple feasts and festivals. There are temple depictions that give us the idea that some festivals are mobile (i.e. traveling) . In these festivals "the image of the deity was usually placed in its shrine on a small portable barque which was then borne on the shoulders of priests to its destination or to the nearest quay, where it was loaded on to a real barque for movement by river. The festival known as heb nefer en inet, the 'Beautiful Feast of the Valley', involved travel both by land and water and was celebrated during the second month of shemu, the harvest season." (Wilkinson, 1995) According to Wilkinson, "more evidence survives from the New Kingdom.

I would like to close in saying that if Hapuseneb were alive today he would be able to give us a better perspective about the lives and duties of priests, especially those from the 18th Dynasty. He would be able to confirm current day archeological records and help Egyptologists solve some of the puzzling mysteries they face today. As I tried to look through the eyes of Hapuseneb I could only assume that his life, along with other priests in his time played a very important and powerful role in ancient Egypt. His position was not only a religious position in serving and providing for the gods, but it was also a political position where he not only served his Pharaoh but his country also. His participation in temple work has helped maintain ancient Egypt's social and cultural practices and beliefs. I would have to say that Hapuseneb, along with other high priests were probably the most literate of the ancient Egyptians and appear to have been and could have been almost equal to the Pharaohs.

There are much archeological remains that give us a general idea about how the lives of ancient Egyptians were like. We know from these remains that they honored their gods and worshipped them on a daily basis. We have seen through the eyes of Hapuseneb that the temples and gods were the center and the most important part of life for the ancient Egyptians.

Works Cited

Priest adn Priestess, http://www.crystalinks.com/egyptpriests.html

Sauneron, Serge. The Priests of Ancient Egypt. New York: Cornell, 2000

Wilkinson, Richard H. The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt New York: Thames & Hudson, 2000

Short Presentation on Egyptian Hieroglyphics

You can view my short presentation on Egyptian hieroglyphics at:

http://www.slideshare.net/autumnbaccellia/presentation-hieroglyphics/

Egyptian Hieroglyphics Slideshow

You can view my Egyptian hieroglyphics slideshow at:

http://www.slideshare.net/autumnbaccellia/hieroglyphics

Welcome to Autumn's Egyptology

Welcome to Autumn's Egyptology blog page. This blog is dedicated to everything about ancient Egypt. I will discuss other cultures of the ancient world periodically.

I believe that there is never an end to someones passion for learning and never an end to learning all you can about something you love studying.