Hieroglyphics
Annabelle F.
Embedded Files
Image 2: Hieroglyphic image depicting the god Horus leading Queen Nefertari into the afterlife.
Why Were hieroglyphics Needed?
Hieroglyphics were needed for a plethora of reasons. Around the time hieroglyphics were being created (3200 BCE) the society and lives the Egyptians were living began advancing more rapidly, meaning they needed a system of writing. This system of writing was needed for keeping track of records, along with many other day to day things. It was also largely used in religious practices and in government. In government, it was needed for laws, treaties, and other written forms of government.
How Hieroglyphics Worked?
Hieroglyphics was a pictorial language, meaning the words and meanings of the language were communicated through pictures rather than alphabetic words. The hieroglyphic signs were used as letters themselves. There were over 750 signs in total, with thousands of variations. The signs themselves did not have any specific meaning, so the other signs around it were used as context to convey the meaning of the message. This contextual system also helped since there were such a wide variation of signs (Harvard; The Giza Project). The language was made by the Egyptians and started with the signs, then expanded more as time went on. It even branched out into other versions of the language, some of these versions being Demotic and branching off into Greek (The British Museum).
Image 3: This is a Papyrus scroll from the Book of the Dead that depicts the "weighing of the heart," which is believed to be part of the after-death process, done by Osiris, the god of the underworld.
Impacts of Hieroglyphics
Image 5: This image is a picture of the Ebers Papyrus scroll, which is one of the oldest medical texts used in Ancient Egypt
Record keeping and communication
Record keeping and communication
As Egyptian life and society began evolving more and more, they found a need to start keeping detailed records. These records ranged from documented trade and taxes to important historical events and treaties (Scomot). Hieroglyphics made it so important events could be written down and stored away for future generations to use or look at. They allowed taxes and trade to be documented, so Egyptians and tax collectors could keep track of what was or wasn't being paid. Hieroglyphics created more effective communication in all aspects as well. People could communicate over long distances (trade). People could also communicate in the sense that hieroglyphics depicted what was being shown, so people could have an idea of what was being said even if they couldn't read.
Image 6: This image shows battle and war, specifically Battle of Kadesh
Civilizations
Civilizations
Hieroglyphics impacted civilizations in many different ways. They brought people together through religion because of the religious hymns and prayers that were written and made with hieroglyphics. hey were brought together because the hymns and prayers made it so a large group and variety of people were brought together to sing the hymns and recite the prayers. This included many people into Egyptian religion, in turn connecting them and bringing them together. Along with bringing people together, hieroglyphics made it so other languages were formed (such as Greek) because hieroglyphics set an example for other languages. They made it so there was a written language, which inspired other civilizations to make their own alphabetic system of writing.
Image 7: This image depicts King Tutankhamun and the religious hieroglyphs surrounding the walls
Used in religious practices
Used in religious practices
A large part of the use of hieroglyphics in Ancient Egypt was for religion and religious practices. Hieroglyphics believed to aid in moving people on into the afterlife and were written in and around the tombs of the deceased because of that belief. The word "hieroglyphics" itself directly translated to "holy writings" or "sacred carvings" and were widely considered to be the words of the gods. Another demonstration of the use of hieroglyphics in religious practices would be the Book of the Dead. The Book of the Dead was written in hieroglyphics and was full of spells and taught the Egyptians how to move the dead into the afterlife. played a large role in religion.
Other interesting sources to look at!
This video talks about the basis of how hieroglyphics were used, what they were written on, and who wrote using them. It also talks about the deciphering of hieroglyphics using the Rosetta Stone and details concerning it.
This video talks about the details of Ancient Egyptian religion. These details consist of the gods they worshiped and what they did, what impact religion had on their lives, what they believed about the afterlife.
1. Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs Overview - This website gives an overview and history of Egyptian hieroglyphics. It talks about the progression of hieroglyphics, along with different versions and what/where they were used!
2. Egyptian Hieroglyphic Alphabet - This website talks about the Rosetta Stone and a brief description of what hieroglyphics were and what they were used for.
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