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Reading Hieroglyphs

The Owl Hieroglyph

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! 

Today π“‡π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‡³ we are going to look at one of the most common and recognizable uniliteral phonogram hieroglyphic symbols: the owl π“…“!Β 

The Owl Hieroglyph
The Owl Hieroglyph

A uniliteral sign is a hieroglyphic symbol that corresponds to a single sound, just like a letter in the alphabet. The β€œowl 𓅓” symbol represents the sound of β€œm” and it has many different uses!  

The β€œowl 𓅓” symbol is one that appears in inscriptions all the time and is most commonly seen as part of other words! Some words that use the β€œowl 𓅓” symbol are: 

π“…“π“‚‹ – Overseer

π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– – Kemet (Egypt)

𓅓𓍑𓏏𓏛 – Papyrus Roll

Of course these are not all the words that contain the β€œowl 𓅓” symbol! 

But what happens if the β€œowl 𓅓” symbol appears by itself in an inscription and isn’t part of another word? The β€œowl 𓅓” symbol has its own meaning when it appears alone! It’s one of those words in a sentence that can kind of β€œmean what we need it to” in English! I guess it functions as the all-around preposition! 

For example, the β€œowl 𓅓” hieroglyph can mean: In, On, At, By, With, and As! This symbol has so many meanings/uses!Β 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

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