Hieroglyph

Egyptian hieroglyphs typical of the Graeco-Roman period, sculpted in Relief.
Glyphs: viper, owl, 'bread bun', folded cloth

A hieroglyph (Greek for "sacred writing") is a character of the ancient Egyptian writing system. Logographic scripts that are pictographic in form in a way reminiscent of ancient Egyptian are also sometimes called "hieroglyphs".^[1] In Neoplatonism, especially during the Renaissance, a "hieroglyph" was an artistic representation of an esoteric idea, which Neoplatonists believed actual Egyptian hieroglyphs to be. The word hieroglyphics (τὰ ἱερογλυφικά [γράμματα]) may refer to a hieroglyphic script.

List of hieroglyphic scripts

The following scripts have been called "hieroglyphs".

• Anatolian hieroglyphs
• Aztec hieroglyphs
• Cretan hieroglyphs
• Egyptian hieroglyphs
• Mayan hieroglyphs
• Mi'kmaq hieroglyphs
• Ojibwe hieroglyphs
• Olmec hieroglyphs
• Chukchi's hieroglyphs - see Tenevil

See also

• List of languages by writing system
• Mother Goose in Hieroglyphics

References

1. ↑ "Egypt, Ancient: Hieroglyphics and Origins of Alphabet". Encyclopedia of African History Title information  – via Credo Reference (subscription required) . Retrieved 12 September 2012. 

Further reading

• Allen, James P. (2001). Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521774833. OCLC 51226851. 
• Brewer, Douglas J.; Teeter, Emily (2007). Egypt and the Egyptians. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521851503. OCLC 433993212. 
• Kamrin, Janice (2004). Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A Practical Guide. New York: Harry N. Abrams. ISBN 9780810949614. OCLC 55019226. 
• Robinson, Andrew (2007). The Story of Writing: Alphabets, Hieroglyphs & Pictograms. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 9780500286609. OCLC 172818065. 

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