Hieroglyphics are writing systems that use symbols in the form of iconic figures to represent words, sounds, or complex concepts (sets of words).
The best-known form of hieroglyphics is that used by the ancient Egyptians, although other cultures also developed their own hieroglyphic systems.
Egyptian hieroglyphic writing, engraved in stone.
Hieroglyphic writing is symbolic and based on icon-like figures that represent all kinds of concepts. And in some cases, sounds.
There have been various systems or languages based on hieroglyphs , the best known being that used in Ancient Egypt. However, others were also developed, such as the hieroglyphic script of the Hittite Empire, that of Ancient China, or the Mayan and Aztec pictograms in Mesoamerica, which are also considered part of a linguistic-religious system.
In fact, the word hieroglyph comes from Greek and means “sacred engraving” , since the Greeks maintained close contact with the ancient Egyptians.
Egyptian hieroglyphic writing
It is a writing system developed in Ancient Egypt, making it one of the oldest in the world. It is believed to have originated around 3300 BC and was primarily used in monumental inscriptions and religious texts.
In Egyptian writing, hieroglyphs could be pictographic (representing objects) or phonetic (representing sounds).
The Egyptian hieroglyphic writing system was used primarily in monumental inscriptions, on temples, tombs, and steles.
It is a very complex system. It was first deciphered in the 19th century, largely thanks to the work of Jean-François Champollion . This was achieved using a fragment of the Rosetta Stone , which contained the same text written in hieroglyphics, hieratic script, demotic script, and Greek, which ultimately allowed for its translation.
The earliest examples of Egyptian writing can be found on ceramics, often used in funerary rituals. These symbols are considered the precursors of hieroglyphics. Therefore, it wasn’t until the First Dynasty that we can speak of true hieroglyphic writing.
Egyptian drawings engraved in stone, along with hieroglyphic symbols.
This consisted of more than 700 signs, which could represent objects, sounds (phonograms) or ideas (ideograms).
At first, its use was limited to inscriptions on temples, tombs, and steles, but over time, what is known as hieratic writing, a simplified version of hieroglyphics, developed. From then on, hieroglyphic texts appeared in all kinds of contexts and on papyrus: religious, administrative, and even literary.
This script remained in use throughout the dynastic period, when Egypt was ruled by pharaohs.
It was at the end of this period that Demotic writing appeared . This is a derivative of hieratic writing, used for texts that needed to be read aloud. The two coexisted until the Roman period.
For a long time, hieroglyphics remained indecipherable, as there was no other writing system to compare them with to obtain a reliable translation. Finally, with the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, the enigma was solved.
See Ancient Egypt and Egyptian Numbers
Characteristics of a hieroglyph
Drawing with Egyptian hieroglyphic symbols, representing the writing system of Ancient Egypt.
They were pictograms : hieroglyphs always represent concrete figures (animals, people, or things). But they don’t always refer to the thing depicted, but rather to abstract ideas. For example, a scarab beetle can represent the sun.
They were iconic : designed to be quick and easy to read and aesthetically clear. Hieroglyphic writing is, in this sense, very harmonious, especially when it appears in temples or religious spaces.
They formed a language : they were part of a linguistic system. Most hieroglyphs function as words or sets of words. And in Demotic writing, certain sounds. For example, a hieroglyph representing a mouth might sound like “r.”
They were sacred : they were connected to religion and considered the words of the gods. This not only gave them special value, with important texts like “The Book of the Dead,” but also gave scribes their worth.
They can be read in different ways : hieroglyphics didn’t need to be read in one direction; they could be read from left to right, right to left, or top to bottom. That is, in any direction. This simply depends on how each symbol is oriented.
Hieroglyphics written and engraved in stone, for reading in different directions.
Hieroglyphics throughout history
Throughout history, various hieroglyphic writing systems have developed. These were especially true in the great civilizations of the ancient world, with Egyptian hieroglyphics being the best known. However, there are also examples in other cultures: Ancient Mesopotamia, the Mayan culture in the Americas, and Ancient China .
Aztec hieroglyphic symbols and drawings.
Hieroglyphics were used in the Anatolian Peninsula by the Hittite and Luwian peoples, between the 14th and 7th centuries BC. It emerged during what is known as the Hittite Empire and continued to be used in the area of present-day Türkiye.
Also in Asia, in ancient China, symbols that can be described as “hieroglyphics” were used, although not strictly speaking. These were the earliest Chinese characters, known as jiaguwen . These characters date back to the Shang Dynasty , between 1600 and 1046 BC.
The Mayan civilization also used hieroglyphic writing, from at least the 3rd century BC to the 16th century AD, although evidence of older inscriptions has been found. In fact, it is one of the major writing systems developed in pre-Columbian America.
