The total number of distinct Egyptian hieroglyphs increased over time from several hundred in the Middle Kingdom to several thousand during the Ptolemaic Kingdom. In 1928/1929 Alan Gardiner published an overview of hieroglyphs, Gardiner's sign list, the basic modern standard. It describes 763 signs in 26 categories (A–Z, roughly).

Georg Möller Georg Möller (1876–1921) was a German Egyptologist. He was born in Venezuela as the son of a German businessman. His family moved to Hamburg when he was five. From 1896 he studied at Humboldt University under Adolf Erman. He received his do ...

compiled more extensive lists, organized by historical epoch (published posthumously in 1927 and 1936). In Unicode, the block ''Egyptian Hieroglyphs'' (2009) includes 1071 signs, organization based on Gardiner's list. As of 2016, there is a proposal by Michael Everson to extend the Unicode standard to comprise Möller's list.

Subsets

Notable subsets of hieroglyphs: * Determinatives * Uniliteral signs * Biliteral signs * Triliteral signs * Egyptian numerals

Letter classification by Gardiner

List of hieroglyphs

In Unicode

Unicode character names follow Gardiner's sign list (padded with zeroes to three digits, i.e. Gardiner "A1" is "EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPH A001"), with the addition of glyph names in NL001–NL020 and NU001–NU022, representing the 20

Nomes of Lower Egypt Lower Egypt ( ar, مصر السفلى '; ) is the northernmost region of Egypt, which consists of the fertile Nile Delta between Upper Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea, from El Aiyat, south of modern-day Cairo, and Dahshur. Historically, ...

and the 22

Nomes of Upper Egypt Upper Egypt ( ar, صعيد مصر ', shortened to , , locally: ; ) is the southern portion of Egypt and is composed of the lands on both sides of the Nile that extend upriver from Lower Egypt in the north to Nubia in the south. In ancient E ...

, respectively.

Articles on individual hieroglyphs

* Arm, cubit symbol (hieroglyph) *

Bee (hieroglyph) The Egyptian hieroglyph representing a honey bee (𓆤 Gardiner L2). It is used as an ideogram for "bee" (''bjt''),Betrò, 1995. '' Hieroglyphics: The Writings of Ancient Egypt,'' p. 117. but most frequently as part of the title of the King of ...

Bone-with-meat (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Bone-with-meat hieroglyph ( Gardiner F44) represented: "ancestry, inherit", and phonetic ''isw, iw' '' (inherit, etc.); a determinative for the femur, (iw'); and ''swt'', for the tibia.Kamrin, 2004. F44, p. 238. The Old ...

* Bowstring (hieroglyph) *

Brazier (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Brazier hieroglyph is Gardiner sign listed no. Q7 for the ''cooking brazier''. It is shown from the Old Kingdom in the style of a vertical burning flame upon four feet, but the hieroglyph has the ''flame'' hiding the fourth ...

Bull (ka hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Bull (hieroglyph), Gardiner sign listed no. E1, is the representation of the common bull. The bull motif is dominant in protodynastic times (see Bull Palette), and also has prominence in the early dynastic Egypt, famously o ...

Carob (hieroglyph) The vertical carob M29 (Gardiner M29) and the vertical date M30 (Gardiner M30) have identical meanings in the Egyptian hieroglyphic language of "sweet", and related words. The carob (hieroglyph) is a ''ripe carob pod w/seeds'', and its meaning ...

Child (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian child hieroglyph is part of the Egyptian Gardiner's Sign List hieroglyphs for the beginning core subgroup of ''Man and his Occupations''. It relates to the child, and childhood, and has a version for the Pharaoh, as a child. ...

Cross-ndj (hieroglyph) The Egyptian hieroglyph ''ndj'' (nḏ) ( Gardiner Aa27, U+13429 𓐩) has the shape of a cross. It presumably depicts some type of tool such as a mill. It is often written alongside the ''nu'' "pot" hieroglyph (W24). It is used as an ideogram o ...

Crossroads (hieroglyph) The Egyptian hieroglyph Townsite-city-region is Gardiner sign listed no. O49 for the intersection of a town's streets. In some Egyptian hieroglyph books it is called a city plan. It is used in Egyptian hieroglyphs as a determinative in the nam ...

Djsr (arm with powerstick) The ancient Egyptian ''horizontally-outstretched'' Arm with powerstick is a hieroglyph with the meaning of "force", or "power of action". As a baton, or macehead. Power is obvious, but the origins may have also had references to magic, or the i ...

Egg (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Egg hieroglyph, Gardiner sign listed no. H8, is a portrayal of an ''oval-shaped egg'', tilted at an angle, within the Gardiner signs for ''parts of birds''. It is an Egyptian language hieroglyph determinative used for the ...

* Emblem of the East (hieroglyph) * Emblem of the West (hieroglyph) *

Face (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Face hieroglyph, Gardiner sign listed no. D2 is a portrayal of the ''human face, frontal view.'' It is an Egyptian language biliteral with the value ''hr'', ḥr. The sign is also an ideogram for 'face', and related wor ...

Foot (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian b-hieroglyph ( Gardiner D58) represents a foot or lower leg.Schumann-Antelme, and Rossini, 1998. ''Illustrated Hieroglyphics Handbook'', uniliteral: U3, p. 22-23. Gallery File:Egypt Medicine2.jpg, Relief(also shows 3rd "m" ...

Foreleg of ox The Foreleg of ox (a ''foreleg with the thigh'') hieroglyph of ancient Egypt is an old hieroglyph; it even represented a nighttime constellation (the Big Dipper, Maskheti). It came to have many uses in ancient Egypt over three millennia. I ...

Game piece (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Game piece (hieroglyph), also a Token, or the general term for any ''gaming-gambling'' piece, Draughtsman is an ancient hieroglyph. Gaming pieces were certainly required in predynastic times, as the cultural creation of game ...

Gold (hieroglyph) The Egyptian hieroglyph representing gold (𓋞 Gardiner S12), phonetic value ''nb'', is important due to its use in the Horus-of-Gold name, one of the Fivefold Titulary names of the Egyptian pharaoh. In its determinative usage, it identi ...

Grape arbor (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Grape arbor hieroglyph is Gardiner sign listed no. M43 in Gardiner's subcategory for ''trees and plants''. The hieroglyph shows a horizontal vine with stylized bunches suspended below; each end is supported by the hierogl ...

Hand (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Hand hieroglyph is an alphabetic hieroglyph with the meaning of "d"; it is also used in the word for 'hand', and actions that are performed, i.e. by the 'way of one's hands', or actions. (Used as a determinative.) Iconog ...

Hand drill (hieroglyph) The Hand drill is a hieroglyph, (and tool), used in ancient Egypt from the earliest dynasties. As a hieroglyph, it can also be used as a determinative for words related to the profession of vase, bowl, pot-making, etc., typically from fine-gra ...

Hare (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Hare hieroglyph, Gardiner sign listed no. E34 (𓃹) is a portrayal of the desert hare or Cape hare, ''Lepus capensis'' of Egypt, within the Gardiner signs for mammals. The ancients used the name of ''sekhat'' for the hare ...

Harpoon (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Harpoon, (archaeological, single-barbed type), is one of the oldest language hieroglyphs from ancient Egypt. It is used on the famous Narmer Palette of Pharaoh Narmer from the 31st century BC, in an ''archaic'' hieroglyphic ...

* Hill-country (hieroglyph) *

House (hieroglyph) A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air ...

* Incense burner: arm (hieroglyph) * Incense burner: pot (hieroglyph) *

Jubilee Pavilion (hieroglyph) The ''Jubilee Festival'' for the Pharaoh, the Heb Sed is represented in hieroglyphs by a Jubilee Pavilion Hieroglyph. It is Gardiner Sign Listed as no. O23. However it often appears with other pavilion, or festival hieroglyphs: the ''Hall'', no. ...

* Km (hieroglyph) *

Land, irrigated (hieroglyph) The Land, irrigated hieroglyph ("sectioned land", Gardiner N24) represents "district, nome" (phonetic value ''sp3t''). It is a determinative in the name of provinces and regions in the noun ''ḥsp'', for "garden", "vegetable garden", and " ...

Leopard head (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Leopard head hieroglyph, Gardiner sign listed no. F9 is a portrayal of the ''head of a leopard''; it is in the Gardiner subset for "parts of mammals". In the Egyptian language, the Leopard head hieroglyph is used as a de ...

Man-prisoner (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Man-prisoner is one of the oldest hieroglyphs from Ancient Egypt. An iconographic portrayal from predynastic Egypt eventually led to its incorporation into the writing system of the Egyptian language. Not only rebels from ...

* Man-seated: arms in adoration (hieroglyph) *

Mast (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Mast hieroglyph is one of the oldest language hieroglyphs from Ancient Egypt. It is used on a famous label of Pharaoh Den of the First dynasty, but forms part of the location hieroglyph: Emblem of the East. Nectanebo II's ...

Night (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Night hieroglyph, Gardiner sign listed nos. N3 is a portrayal of the ''sky with the 'was' scepter hanging from it''; it is in the Gardiner subset for "sky, earth, and water". In the Egyptian language, the ''night hierog ...

* Naos (hieroglyph) *

Papyrus stem (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Papyrus stem hieroglyph is one of the oldest language hieroglyphs from Ancient Egypt. The papyrus stalk, (or stem) was incorporated into designs of columns on buildings, also facades, and is also in the iconographic art port ...

Pick (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Pick hieroglyph, Gardiner sign listed nos. U17, U18 is a portrayal of a 'pick upon the side view of a block'; it is in the Gardiner subset for ''agriculture, crafts, and professions''. In the Egyptian language, the ''pic ...

* Pr (hieroglyph) *

Road (hieroglyph) The Ancient Egyptian Road-with-shrubs hieroglyph is Gardiner sign listed no. N31 for a ''road'', ''"street"'', or ''pathway''. It originally was a curving hieroglyph, but became a standardized straight form as well. The Road hieroglyph is us ...

Sail (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Sail hieroglyph is Gardiner sign listed no. P5 for the ''sail of a ship''. The hieroglyph shows a hoisted sail, curved because of wind filling it. It is used in Egyptian hieroglyphs as a determinative for words related t ...

Shuti hieroglyph (two-feather adornment) The ancient Egyptian Shuti, a ''two-feather adornment'' for crowns, is part of a series of hieroglyphs for "crowns"; usage as a hieroglyph is not as common as the actual crown represented in Egyptian art, and artworks. One popular use of the '' ...

* Sky (hieroglyph) *

Spine with fluid (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian hieroglyph of a Spine issuing fluid is Gardiner sign listed no. F40 for the ''animal spine, fluid falling from each end''. Another hieroglyph, Gardiner F39 shows only half of the spine, F39-(referring to 'dignity', or ' ...

* Stair-single (hieroglyph) *

Sun (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Sun hieroglyph is Gardiner sign listed no. N5 for the ''sun-disc'';Collier and Manley, 1998, ''How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs'', C1, sun-disc, p. 136. it is also one of the hieroglyphs that refers to the god Ra. The su ...

Sun-rising (hieroglyph) The Egyptian hieroglyph Rising Sun (Gardiner N28) is used to represent "coronation", and related meanings (festivals, parades, rejoicing, etc.). Its phonetic value is ''ḫꜥ'' ("kha"). It is used in the Horus name of pharaoh Khasekhemwy (''� ...

Swallow (hieroglyph) The Ancient Egyptian Swallow hieroglyph is Gardiner sign listed no. G36 for swallow birds. The Sparrow hieroglyph appears similar in size and shape, though it lacks the swallow's forked tail and is used to represent small, or bad items. The '' ...

Three fox skins (hieroglyph) The Three-Fox-Skins (hieroglyph) is Gardiner's sign listed no. F31, in the series of ''parts of animals''. It consists of 3-fox skins tied at one end, and hanging, creating flowing skins. In Egyptian hieroglyphs it has the value ''ms''.Betrò, ...

* Throw stick (hieroglyph) *

Two whips with shen ring (hieroglyph) The ancient Egyptian Two Whips with Shen ring hieroglyph, Gardiner sign listed no. S23 is a portrayal of the Shen ring with two Egyptian flails-(Crook and flail); it is a member of the Gardiner subset for ''"crowns, dress, staves, etc".'' I ...

Union symbol (hieroglyph) The Union symbol (hieroglyph) is Gardiner sign listed no. F36, part of the series for ''parts of mammals''. As a "union symbol", (a right and left half), it contains a vertical invisible 'centerline'. It allows for the positioning of two impor ...

;Hieroglyph is part of article: * Ankh * Bennu * Cartouche * Deshret * Djed *

Eye of Horus The Eye of Horus, ''wedjat'' eye or ''udjat'' eye is a concept and symbol in ancient Egyptian religion that represents well-being, healing, and protection. It derives from the mythical conflict between the god Horus with his rival Set, in wh ...

* Hedjet *

Khepresh The khepresh (''ḫprš'') was an ancient Egyptian royal headdress. It is also known as the blue crown or war crown. New Kingdom pharaohs are often depicted wearing it in battle, but it was also frequently worn in ceremonies. While it was once c ...

* Renpet * Sekhem scepter * Serekh *

Seshat's emblem Seshat ( egy, sš3t, under various spellings) was the ancient Egyptian goddess of writing, wisdom, and knowledge. She was seen as a scribe and record keeper; her name means "female scribe". She is credited with inventing writing. She also bec ...

* Set animal * Shen ring * Tyet * Uraeus * Wadjet * Was (sceptre)

References

* Budge, Sir E.A.Wallis, ''An Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary, in Two Volumes,'' Sir E.A.Wallis Budge, (Dover Publications, Inc. New York), c 1920, Dover Edition, c 1978. (Large categorized listings of Hieroglyphs, Vol 1, pp. xcvii–cxlvii (97–147) (25 categories, 1000+ hieroglyphs), 50 pgs.) *Faulkner, William (1991). Middle Egyptian. Griffith. .: * A.H. Gardiner, ''Catalogue of the Egyptian hieroglyphic printing type, from matrices owned and controlled by Dr. Alan'' (1928). * A.H. Gardiner, "Additions to the new hieroglyphic fount (1928)", ''The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology'' 15 (1929), p. 95. * A.H. Gardiner, "Additions to the new hieroglyphic fount (1931)", ''The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology'' 17 (1931), pp. 245–247. * A.H. Gardiner, ''Supplement to the catalogue of the Egyptian hieroglyphic printing type, showing acquisitions to December 1953'' (1953). * A.H. Gardiner, '' Egyptian Grammar: Being an Introduction to the Study of Hieroglyphs''. 3rd Ed., pub. Griffith Institute, Oxford, 1957 (1st edition 1927), pp. 438–548
pdf
. * Möller, Georg. 1909. ''Hieratische Paläographie: die aegyptische Buchschrift in ihrer Entwicklung von der Fünften Dynastie bis zur römischen Kaiserzeit. Erster Band: Bis zum Beginn der achtzehnten Dynastie'' * Möller, Georg. 1927. ''Hieratische Paläographie: die aegyptische Buchschrift in ihrer Entwicklung von der Fünften Dynastie bis zur römischen Kaiserzeit. Zweiter Band: Von der Zeit Thutmosis' III bis zum Ende der einundzwanzigsten Dynastie,'' * Möller, Georg. 1936. ''Hieratische Paläographie: die aegyptische Buchschrift in ihrer Entwicklung von der Fünften Dynastie bis zur römischen Kaiserzeit. Dritter Band: Von der zweiundzwanzigsten Dynastie bis zum dritten Jahrhundert nach Chr.'' * Möller, Georg. 1936. ''Hieratische Paläographie: die aegyptische Buchschrift in ihrer Entwicklung von der Fünften Dynastie bis zur römischen Kaiserzeit. Vierter *Band: Ergänzungsheft zu Band I und II'' * Wilkinson, Richard, ''Reading Egyptian Art, A Hieroglyphic Guide to Ancient Egyptian Painting and Sculpture,'' Richard H. Wilkinson, with 450 Illustrations, (Thames & Hudson Ltd, London), c 1992. * Rainer Hannig: ''Großes Handwörterbuch Ägyptisch-Deutsch. (2800 – 950 v. Chr.)'' Marburger Edition. 4th rev. ed. von Zabern, Mainz 2006, , (= Hannig-Lexica. vol. 1); (= Kulturgeschichte der Antiken Welt. vol. 64, ISSN 0937-9746),contains the Gardiner list plus an extended sign list. * Rainer Hannig, Petra Vomberg: ''Wortschatz der Pharaonen in Sachgruppen''. Hannig Lexica vol. 2, 2nd ed, von Zabern, Mainz 2012, . * Friedrich Junge: ''Einführung in die Grammatik des Neuägyptischen'' 3rd rev. ed. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 2008, , information on transcription and transliteration and peculiarities of New Kingdom orthographies. * Christian Leitz: ''Die Tempelinschriften der griechisch-römischen Zeit.'' 3rd rev ed. Münster 2009, , (= ''Quellentexte zur ägyptischen Religion'' 1), (= ''Einführungen und Quellentexte zur Ägyptologie'' 2), references older inventories of Ptolemaic era hieroglyphics. * Michael Everson and Bob Richmond,
Towards a Proposal to encode Egyptian Hieroglyphs in Unicode
' (2006)

External links

* WikiHiero syntax ( MediaWiki) * :wiktionary:Appendix:Unicode/Egyptian Hieroglyphs * :wiktionary:Egyptian hieroglyphic script characters
Gardiner Sign List

Alphabet
at ancient-egypt.co.uk

finding hieroglyphs
{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Egyptian Hieroglyphs By Alphabetization * +