Mnamon

Ancient writing systems in the Mediterranean

A critical guide to electronic resources

Egyptian Hieroglyphics

- (3150 BC - 4th century AD)


Examples of writing



Royal inscription, architrave of the hypostyle room at the Temple of Karnak

Royal inscription, architrave of the hypostyle room at the Temple of Karnak

sA ra (stH mr-imn)| mry imn-ra

 

Son of Ra (Sethy Loved-by-Amun)| Loved by Amun-Ra



Inscription on the door of the tomb of Visir Useramon (Theban tomb 131)

Inscription on the door of the tomb of Visir Useramon (Theban tomb 131)

(1) di Htp nswt mAat sA.t ra nb pt di=s sbi.w…

(2) di Htp nswt wsir nTr aA di=f ii ii m smA Xri-nTr...

(3) di Htp nswt ra-Hr-Ax.ty di=f mAA itn...

 

(1) An offering that the king makes for Maat, daughter of Ra, lord of the heavens, because the rebels are given to her...

(2) An offering that the king makes for Osiris, the great god, because he allows him to go and return to reach the necropolis...

(3) An offering that the king makes for Ra-Horakhty, because he allows him to see the solar disk...



Cartouches of Ptolemy IV Philopator and Arsinoe III

Cartouches of Ptolemy IV Philopator and Arsinoe III

[nsw]t bity (ptolmys anx Dt mr Ast)|

(irsirntA)|

[The King of Upper] and of Lower Egypt (May Ptolemy have life from Isis)|

(Arsinoe)|



Cartouche of Nero

Cartouche of Nero

(narn qlwtys xw)|

 

(Nero Claudius who protects)|



Cartouche with the dogmatic second name of the god Aten

Cartouche with the dogmatic second name of the god Aten

(anx ra-Hr-Ax.ty HqA Ax.ty Hay m Axt)| (m rn=f ra-it ii m itn)|

(Ra-Horakhty lives, lord of the two horizons, exalted to the horizon)| (in his name of Ra-father who returns as the Solar disk)|

 



Phrase from The prophecies of Neferti (12th dynasty)

Phrase from The prophecies of Neferti (12th dynasty)

iw ra iwd=f sw r r(m)T, wbn=f wn wnwt, nn rx.tw xpr mtrt

The sun will separate from the people. Although it will rise at its time, no one will know that the day has arrived.

 



Jar sealings from el-Amarna

Jar sealings from el-Amarna

12, 13. irp nfr nfr n pr itn;

14, 15, 16, 17, 18. irp n pr itn;

19. irp n pr sHt-itn.

 

12, 13. Wine very good (lit. good good) of the House of the Aten;

14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Wine of the House of the Aten;

19. Wine of the House of Pacify-the-Aten.



Ring settings from el-Amarna

Ring settings from el-Amarna

161. nb anx nfr itn; 162-164. nb anx nfr ra; 165. nb nHH Axt; 166. nb anx nfr; 167. anx; 168. nfr anx; 171-172 wDAt nfr nfr; 173. wDAt nb nfr; 174. wDAt nfr; 175 nb wDAt

 

161. Aten lord of life and beauty; 162-164. Ra lord of life and beauty; 165. Orizzonte lord of eternity; 166. Lord of life and beauty; 167. Life; 168. Life and beauty; 171-172. The Eye of very beautiful Horo ; 173. The Eye of Horo, lord of beauty; 174. The eye of beautiful Horo; 175. The Eye of lord Horo.  

 



Ring settings with royal cartouches from el-Amarna

Ring settings with royal cartouches from el-Amarna

6. Nb-mAAt-Ra; 21. Tii wHm nswt; 47. Ax-n-Itn Nfr-xpr.w-Ra Wa-n-Ra 90. anx=s-n-pA-Itn; 108. Nb-xpr.w-Ra

 

6. Neb-maat-Ra (= Amenhotep III); Tiy, Great Royal Spouse (of Amenhotep III); 47. Akhenaten Neferkheperura Waenra; 90. Ankhesenpaaten (daughter of Akhenaten and wife of Tutankhamen); 108. Nebkheperura (= Tutankhamen)

 



Amulets in the shape of hieroglyphics from el-Amarna

Amulets in the shape of hieroglyphics from el-Amarna

244. nb tA.wy; 335. xpr; 255. wAs; 259. anx; 266. nfr

 

244. The Lord of the Two Lands (= the King of Egypt); 335. 'become', 'transformation', the god Kheper; 255. 'power'; 259. 'life'; 266. 'beauty', 'goodness'