Hieroglyphics
Megan Throne
Background
Since hieroglyphics are ancient Egypt’s first system of writing, it is difficult to say what came before the system other than that ancient Egyptians had discourse in an oral language. The people became curious after a time about expanding their forms of communication, and so a system was developed in order to accommodate a desire to record their language—hieroglyphics.
Turning Point
Hieroglyphics, which are considered the first written language of the ancient Egyptians, were “in use, roughly, from the year 3000 B.C. to a time as late as the fourth century A.D.”[1] The original record of hieroglyphics is on “individual pot markings from the prehistoric royal cemetery at Abydos.”[2]The writing displays “a mixture of ideograms and phonograms; they represent either a whole word or single sounds”1 and “almost all hieroglyphics represent an animate or inanimate object.” Since hieroglyphics are so ornate, they were “ideal for monumental and decorative purposes; however, they were less so for everyday purposes.”2
In order to accommodate for everyday use, “a distinct handwritten version of the hieroglyphic script developed, known today as hieratic.” Hieratic script simplified the original signs in order to be more efficient and easy to read. It was “used for a vast range of religious and domestic purposes, its principle media being papyri and ostraka (fragments of stone or pottery used for casual jottings).” Though hieratic was still used for religious functions, it developed further in the area of domestics.2
During 700 B.C., a handwritten script known as demotic was used for domestic purposes. Hieratic had maintained visible connection with the original hieroglyphics; however, “demotic script is almost unrecognizable as a derivative of hieroglyphs and has a number of its own linguistic peculiarities.”2
Effect
Language unifies culture and creates a distinct cultural identity. The formation of hieroglyphics allowed ancient Egyptians to explore and record their culture through writing. The ancient Egyptians highly valued their writing style. They wished to protect their culture through means of their language, which they kept secret from other civilizations; “the Greeks, who in early times came to Egypt for purposes of trade, were not admitted to the temples or to the teaching of the Egyptian priests.”1
Hieroglyphics were so protected, in fact, that it was not until the Rosetta Stone was discovered in 1799 that “genuine Egyptian hieroglyphics (were) finally deciphered.”1 Once they were decoded, hieroglyphics allowed scholars to delve into ancient Egyptian culture further than ever before. In order to recognize the influence ancient Egyptians had on history, the term hieroglyphics “now denotes any pictographic or ideographic writing system.”[3]
[1]Dieckmann, Liselotte. Hieroglyphics: The History of a Literary Symbol. 1970. p. 3.
[2] “Egypt, Ancient: Hieroglyphics and Origins of Alphabet.” Encyclopedia of African History.2004.
[3]“Hieroglyphics.”The Macmillan Encyclopedia.2003.
Bibliography
Dieckmann, Liselotte. Hieroglyphics: The History of a Literary Symbol. Washington University
Press. St. Louis. 1970.
“Egypt.” Tucows Inc. n.c. 2004.
“Egypt, Ancient: Hieroglyphics and Origins of Alphabet.” Encyclopedia of African History.
Routledge. London. 2004. Credo Reference. Web.
Gliddon, George Robins. Ancient Egypt: Her Monuments, Hieroglyphics, History and
Archaeology, and Other Subjects. W. Taylor, Wiley & Putnam. Harvard University. 1847.
Harris, J. R. The Legacy of Egypt.Clarendon Press. Oxford. 1971.
“Hieroglyphics.”The Macmillan Encyclopedia.Macmillan Publishers Ltd. Basingstoke. 2003.
Credo Reference.Web.
Megan Throne
Background
Since hieroglyphics are ancient Egypt’s first system of writing, it is difficult to say what came before the system other than that ancient Egyptians had discourse in an oral language. The people became curious after a time about expanding their forms of communication, and so a system was developed in order to accommodate a desire to record their language—hieroglyphics.
Turning Point
Hieroglyphics, which are considered the first written language of the ancient Egyptians, were “in use, roughly, from the year 3000 B.C. to a time as late as the fourth century A.D.”[1] The original record of hieroglyphics is on “individual pot markings from the prehistoric royal cemetery at Abydos.”[2]The writing displays “a mixture of ideograms and phonograms; they represent either a whole word or single sounds”1 and “almost all hieroglyphics represent an animate or inanimate object.” Since hieroglyphics are so ornate, they were “ideal for monumental and decorative purposes; however, they were less so for everyday purposes.”2
In order to accommodate for everyday use, “a distinct handwritten version of the hieroglyphic script developed, known today as hieratic.” Hieratic script simplified the original signs in order to be more efficient and easy to read. It was “used for a vast range of religious and domestic purposes, its principle media being papyri and ostraka (fragments of stone or pottery used for casual jottings).” Though hieratic was still used for religious functions, it developed further in the area of domestics.2
During 700 B.C., a handwritten script known as demotic was used for domestic purposes. Hieratic had maintained visible connection with the original hieroglyphics; however, “demotic script is almost unrecognizable as a derivative of hieroglyphs and has a number of its own linguistic peculiarities.”2
Effect
Language unifies culture and creates a distinct cultural identity. The formation of hieroglyphics allowed ancient Egyptians to explore and record their culture through writing. The ancient Egyptians highly valued their writing style. They wished to protect their culture through means of their language, which they kept secret from other civilizations; “the Greeks, who in early times came to Egypt for purposes of trade, were not admitted to the temples or to the teaching of the Egyptian priests.”1
Hieroglyphics were so protected, in fact, that it was not until the Rosetta Stone was discovered in 1799 that “genuine Egyptian hieroglyphics (were) finally deciphered.”1 Once they were decoded, hieroglyphics allowed scholars to delve into ancient Egyptian culture further than ever before. In order to recognize the influence ancient Egyptians had on history, the term hieroglyphics “now denotes any pictographic or ideographic writing system.”[3]
[1]Dieckmann, Liselotte. Hieroglyphics: The History of a Literary Symbol. 1970. p. 3.
[2] “Egypt, Ancient: Hieroglyphics and Origins of Alphabet.” Encyclopedia of African History.2004.
[3]“Hieroglyphics.”The Macmillan Encyclopedia.2003.
Bibliography
Dieckmann, Liselotte. Hieroglyphics: The History of a Literary Symbol. Washington University
Press. St. Louis. 1970.
“Egypt.” Tucows Inc. n.c. 2004.
“Egypt, Ancient: Hieroglyphics and Origins of Alphabet.” Encyclopedia of African History.
Routledge. London. 2004. Credo Reference. Web.
Gliddon, George Robins. Ancient Egypt: Her Monuments, Hieroglyphics, History and
Archaeology, and Other Subjects. W. Taylor, Wiley & Putnam. Harvard University. 1847.
Harris, J. R. The Legacy of Egypt.Clarendon Press. Oxford. 1971.
“Hieroglyphics.”The Macmillan Encyclopedia.Macmillan Publishers Ltd. Basingstoke. 2003.
Credo Reference.Web.