Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!
Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at one of the ways to write “tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! The picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 below is from a Middle Kingdom sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 at the MET, which has the word for “tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐” written on it!
Let’s break down each of the symbols:
The “reed 𓇋” is a uniliteral phonogram for “ı͗ (y),” however it can also function as an ideogram for the word “reed 𓇋𓏺.”
The “bundle of reeds 𓇩” is a biliteral phonogram that represents the sound “jz.”
The “doorbolt 𓊃” symbol is a uniliteral phonogram which represents the sound “z” or “s.” It’s also the
ideogram for the word “doorbolt.”
The “schematic house plan 𓉐“ symbol is a biliteral phonogram for the sound “pr,” but it can also function as an ideogram for the word “house 𓉐𓏺.” This symbol is commonly used as a determinative for words that have to do with buildings (like our word of the day – tomb 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐) or places (Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐).
So how would “𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐” be pronounced? 𓇋𓇩𓊃𓉐 would actually be said like “is.” In Middle Egyptian, a bunch of the written words repeat sounds, but the repeated sounds aren’t pronounced at all. It’s like how “𓄤” and “𓄤𓆑𓂋” are both still pronounced “nfr” even though the sounds repeat in the word. There are many variants for ancient Egyptian words, and it makes reading hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 like a puzzle! When you first start learning it can be frustrating, but then it becomes fun!
Here are some other variants/ways to write “tomb” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪:
𓉐𓆖 – Mastaba (House of Eternity)
𓂝𓂝𓉴 – Tomb/Mastaba
𓄿𓂝𓂝𓉴 – Tomb/Mastaba
𓄿𓎛𓌸 – Tomb Shaft
𓅜𓏏𓈌𓉐 – Tomb of a King, Horizon
𓀻𓋴𓉐 – Tomb Chapel
If you want to see the full inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭, check out my video on this post!
This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.