Guide to the writings of ancient Egypt.
French Institute of Oriental Archaeology| N° d'inventaire | 25446 |
| Format | |
| Détails | 344 p., paperback. |
| Publication | Cairo, 2022. |
| Etat | Nine |
| ISBN | 9782724708363 |
Two hundred years after Jean-François Champollion deciphered hieroglyphics, what do we know about the writing systems of ancient Egypt? This Guide to Writing answers the question by presenting in an accessible manner the state of our knowledge about the different writing systems used in the land of the pharaohs. The reader will discover more than fifty entries written by specialists, which present the diversity of their manifestations in time and space, explain the main principles of their functioning, and describe their main contexts of use.
The guide begins by providing an overview of Egyptian writing systems, from the emergence of hieroglyphs to the introduction of Arabic writing. It then explores the many facets of hieroglyphic writing: the number of signs and their classification, the relationship between written signs and figurative representations, the spatial organization and materiality of hieroglyphs, the linking of hieroglyphic writing to oral language, as well as the play on signs and other so-called enigmatic uses. Finally, it examines the main uses of writing in ancient Egypt. Learning to write, the use of mobile and monumental supports, the inscription of objects and graffiti, the destruction of writing, and systems of marks are all practices considered. The use of writing for specific purposes—administrative, funerary, or magical, for example—or in specific socio-historical contexts is also discussed.
Two hundred years after Jean-François Champollion deciphered hieroglyphics, what do we know about the writing systems of ancient Egypt? This Guide to Writing answers the question by presenting in an accessible manner the state of our knowledge about the different writing systems used in the land of the pharaohs. The reader will discover more than fifty entries written by specialists, which present the diversity of their manifestations in time and space, explain the main principles of their functioning, and describe their main contexts of use.
The guide begins by providing an overview of Egyptian writing systems, from the emergence of hieroglyphs to the introduction of Arabic writing. It then explores the many facets of hieroglyphic writing: the number of signs and their classification, the relationship between written signs and figurative representations, the spatial organization and materiality of hieroglyphs, the linking of hieroglyphic writing to oral language, as well as the play on signs and other so-called enigmatic uses. Finally, it examines the main uses of writing in ancient Egypt. Learning to write, the use of mobile and monumental supports, the inscription of objects and graffiti, the destruction of writing, and systems of marks are all practices considered. The use of writing for specific purposes—administrative, funerary, or magical, for example—or in specific socio-historical contexts is also discussed.