Author: ancientegyptblog7

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at one of the ways to write “tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! The picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 below is from a Middle Kingdom sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 at the MET, which has the word for “tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐” written on it!

Let’s break down each of the symbols: 

The “reed 𓇋” is a uniliteral phonogram for “ı͗ (y),” however it can also function as an ideogram for the word “reed 𓇋𓏺.”

The “bundle of reeds 𓇩” is a biliteral phonogram that represents the sound “jz.”

The “doorbolt 𓊃” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram which represents the sound “z” or “s.” It’s also the 

ideogram for the word “doorbolt.” 

The “schematic house plan 𓉐“ symbol is a biliteral phonogram for the sound “pr,” but it can also function as an ideogram for the word “house 𓉐𓏺.” This symbol is commonly used as a determinative for words that have to do with buildings (like our word of the day – tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐) or places (Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐). 

So how would “𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐” be pronounced? 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐 would actually be said like “is.” In Middle Egyptian, a bunch of the written words repeat sounds, but the repeated sounds aren’t pronounced at all. It’s like how “𓄤” and “𓄤𓆑𓂋” are both still pronounced “nfr” even though the sounds repeat in the word. There are many variants for ancient Egyptian words, and it makes reading hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 like a puzzle! When you first start learning it can be frustrating, but then it becomes fun!

Here are some other variants/ways to write “tomb” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪: 

𓉐𓆖 – Mastaba (House of Eternity)

𓂝𓂝𓉴 – Tomb/Mastaba

𓄿𓂝𓂝𓉴 – Tomb/Mastaba

𓄿𓎛𓌸 – Tomb Shaft

𓅜𓏏𓈌𓉐 – Tomb of a King, Horizon

𓀻𓋴𓉐 – Tomb Chapel

If you want to see the full inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭, check out my video on this post!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

What’s the difference between 𓀀 and 𓀁? They are very similar symbols in terms of style, but today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to take a closer look at both of them because they do have different functions and meanings in Middle Egyptian! 

But first, let’s review the different types of hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃 symbols! The determinative symbol is a symbol used to show the general meaning of the word! It is basically used as punctuation at the end of the word to show you that it is over, and is not pronounced. An ideogram is a single symbol that is used to write the word it represents and is usually followed by a single stroke 𓏺. A phonogram is a symbol that represents sounds, and is usually part of a larger word. There are phonograms that can represent one (uniliteral), two (biliteral) or three (triliteral) consonants! 

The “seated man 𓀀“ symbol can be a phonogram, ideogram, and most commonly a determinative. As a uniliteral phonogram it represents the sound “j.” It is also an ideogram for “man 𓀀𓏺” and can be used as a first person pronoun. As a determinative, 𓀀 appears at the end of words (such as occupations and names) to show that the person is a man. 

Here are some examples on how to use 𓀀: 

𓀀 – I, Me, My

𓅭𓀀 – Son (the determinative is rarely used later on, but this was the original word)

𓏟𓀀 – Scribe 

𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 – Nonno

𓆑𓀀/𓇋𓏏𓀀 – Father

𓀀𓏺/𓊃𓀀𓏤 – Man

The “man with hand to mouth 𓀁” symbol functions solely as a determinative symbol and is usually used to represent words that are associated with speaking, thinking, eating, drinking, and for feelings/emotions.

Here are some examples on how to use 𓀁: 

𓇋𓀁 – To Say/Speak

𓃹𓈖𓅓𓀁 – Eat

𓊃𓃀𓇋𓀁 – Drink

𓈖𓐍𓅱𓏏𓀁 – Mourning

𓍿𓎛𓅱𓀁 – Rejoice

As you can see, the 𓀁 symbol appears at the end of the word, meaning that it is the determinative!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.