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Reading Hieroglyphs

West in Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some Hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! Today π“‡π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‡³, we are going to be looking at the significance of the β€œwest π“‹€π“π“π“ˆŠ.” 

West
Different variants of “west” in hieroglyphs

The sun 𓇳𓏺 rising in the east 𓋁𓃀𓏏𓏭 and setting in the west π“‹€π“π“π“ˆŠ is a natural phenomenon that has occurred since the Earth formed over 4.5 billion years ago. The illusion of the sun 𓇳𓏺 rising and setting is caused by the Earth rotating on its axis, and this motion causes us to have night π“ŽΌπ“‚‹π“Ž›π“„› and day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳. 

The ancient Egyptians observed this phenomenon and not only developed the concept of the 24 hour day, but centered one of the biggest parts of their religion around it! Since the sun sets in the west π“ŠΏπ“π“π“ˆŠ, the west π“‹€π“π“ˆŠ was determined to be the land of the dead. It’s no coincidence that tombs π“‡‹π“«π“Šƒπ“‰π“ͺ are located on the western π“‹€π“π“π“ˆŠ banks of the Nile River π“‡‹π“π“‚‹π“…±π“ˆ—π“ˆ˜π“ˆ‡π“Ί! 

Here are some of the popular ways to write β€œwest” in hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ! These are only three of the popular variants, but there are many others! 

π“‹€π“π“π“ˆŠ 

π“‹€π“π“ˆŠ

π“ŠΏπ“π“π“ˆŠ

West
Different variants of “West” written in three different types of hieroglyphs – painted, carved, and cursive hieroglyphs.

Let’s break down the symbols! 

The β€œfeather on a standard π“‹€/π“ŠΏβ€ symbols are actually variants of each other and function the same way in inscriptions! This is an ideogram for the word β€œwest” and is associated with the sound β€œjmnt.” 

The β€œflat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound β€œt.”

The β€œmountain range π“ˆŠβ€ symbol is both an ideogram and a determinative. It is associated with the sound β€œαΈ«3st” and means β€œdesert cliffs” or β€œforeign land.”

So whichever way you write β€œwest π“‹€π“π“π“ˆŠ, π“‹€π“π“ˆŠ, π“ŠΏπ“π“π“ˆŠ,” it would be pronounced as β€œjmnt” and any extra β€œπ“β€ symbols function as a phonetic complement! 

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