Hieroglyph is a word that defines a type of writing in which words are not represented with alphabetic or phonetic signs , but the meaning of words is expressed with figures or symbols . The Egyptians and other ancient peoples used to use hieroglyphics at the time.

Source

The term hieroglyph is used both to mention the system and the figures or characters of this type of writing. As a system, it began to be used around 3,000 BC and remained in force until the 3rd century.

In the case of the Egyptian people, their hieroglyphs came to combine ideograms, determining signs and consonant signs. The symbols that were used were figurative since they represented recognizable things, such as parts of the town or animals.

One of the tools that has been used in order to decipher the hieroglyphic system used by the Egyptians is none other than the Rosetta stone. The English scientist Thomas Young and the French Egyptologist the English scientist Thomas Young were the two characters who managed to decipher this document, discovered in 1799, which was composed of three types of writing: uncial Greek, hieroglyphic and demotic.

Types

It should be noted the existence of these types of hieroglyphs. Thus, in the first place, we find the so-called biliterates, which are those whose transliteration is composed of three consonants . And then there are the hieroglyphs that contain more than three consonants.

Hieroglyphs were usually engraved on stones, carved in wood, or written in ink on papyri. Its contents had religious texts , formulas for rituals or official communications.

Characteristics

Some researchers consider that Egyptian hieroglyphs were a great influence on the Phoenician alphabet , which was the source of the Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic alphabet. These alphabets at the same time make up the original base of the Latin and Cyrillic alphabet.

In addition to all the above, it is important to note that the last document that has been discovered made with hieroglyphic writing is an inscription in the temple of Isis, located in the city of File, and more specifically at the door of the emperor Hadrian. It is estimated that this recording was made in the year 394.

The hieroglyphs that are considered modern are made up of signs and figures that are used as a hobby or puzzle game.

The answer to a previous question is the one that tends to be answered when solving the hieroglyph in question, it can also be composed of musical notes, letters, numbers, representations of objects of daily life. Among the expert principles in the field of carrying out this type of hobby, the figure of Pedro Ocon de Oro from Madrid stands out, who is popular for having been the creator of the alphabet soup, the oconogram or the square.

Examples

On the other hand, a hieroglyph can refer to a note or a reading that is difficult to interpret:

1. “I read the texts of this philosopher and they seem like hieroglyphics”
2. “I don’t understand the hieroglyph you left me on the table”
3. “I tell you that your handwriting is indecipherable: explain to me what the hieroglyph you gave me during the last test means, please.”